I'm growing!

Figuratively, of course, not literally. Nope, I did all my literal growing a long time ago but it has taken a while for my figurative growth to catch up. However, the other day Gustin's pediatrician asked me how tall I was and I said:

"Six foot."

I didn't think much about it at the time, but since then I've been thinking about it a lot. You see, that is not my normal answer. Normally I say I'm 5'11" (I'm actually like 5'11-7/8" or something like that. Just a smidgen under six foot). I guess it's because I've always tried to minimize my height.

I've been tall from the get-go. I was 22" long at birth and never looked back. Being a tall child has it's advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• Can always reach the top shelf in the kitchen
• Can help little old ladies get things off the top shelf at the grocery store
• Never need assistance getting things off the high racks in department stores
• Playing basketball

Disadvantages:

• Taller than all my friends (by a least a head)
  
• Started being taller than my teachers in 4th grade
• Looked older so I was expected to act older
• Clothes shopping was difficult to say the least and at times would end with me in tears
• Taller than all the boys when that started to matter
• Gangly and awkward
• Stuck out in a crowd

As I've gotten older I have been slowly (very slowly!) learning to accept my height. A big step was marrying a man who is shorter than me. I've got Eric beat by like 3 or 4 inches. Two years ago I finally bought my first pair of heals. I've avoided them like the plague most of my life and I guarantee you that on my wedding day I was wearing the flattest of flats. But, now I own a few pair and I wear them without being self-conscious and without slouching in an attempt to minimize my height (or the height difference between my husband and I).

I'm also finally recognizing some additional advantages to being tall:

• Lots of room to carry babies. I'm always complimented on my cute, round, pregnant belly.
• Putting on five (or ten) pounds isn't as obvious cause there's lots of room to spread it around.
• I'm able to utilize my upper cabinets to the max (okay, that one is kind of a repeat).
• Many clothes styles are most flattering on a tall figure.
• I can always see over people and never miss out on any of the action at mass.
  
• I'm the only one who can see how dirty the top of my refrigerator is.
  

It's kind of interesting to look back and see how much I have changed in the last ten years or so. Life is definitely more fun when you learn to accept the body that God has given you. I truly hope that I can teach that lesson to my children at a much younger age than I learned it. I think them seeing a confident mommy who is comfortable in her own skin is a good start.