Day 4: A History of Melanie

Today is supposed to be a picture of me taken over 10 years ago. And I have a few of those. But I thought it might be more fun to see how I got from there to here. So, for your pleasure (or mine; this all makes me feel a bit narcissistic, but I'm going for it anyway), here is what I looked like over the past decade and a few that are even older.

Last year I spent a lot of time being a mom and teaching prospective lawyers how to do better on the LSAT.

Before that, I grew a baby. This picture is exactly 18 mos. old today. Glad I'm not doing that again tomorrow!

Random pilgrimage to North Carolina to see the still unfinished Luten Bridge, subject of a landmark contracts case. My friend Lindsay and I thought it was an appropriate activity for the week before law school graduation.

I spent this summer working for a Public Defender's Office outside Washington, DC. And we spent nearly every weekend running around the District, enjoying all the great free stuff. This is me among the Supremes. I may be leaning on Potter Stewart, but I've got Thurgood Marshall on my right hand and I'll be naming my second son after him (if I can convince James, that is).

Here I am all dressed up for Law School Prom (also called Barrister's Ball). James and I decided to go at the last minute, and my fabulous visiting teachers scrounged me up about twenty dresses to wear. Here's the winner.

Newly arrived in Virginia for law school, here I am with Stonewall Jackson. He was buried just down the road from my house. I also regularly passed Robert E. Lee's place of rest on my way through campus.
Here I am at a mission reunion. I don't seem to have taken many pictures in the year and a half between my mission and law school. Erica and I were companions in Verona where we would frequently wonder whether we could, at last, just be whelmed.
And here I am in Verona, just about time to go home (I wasn't as happy about it as I look).

New missionary in Bergamo with one of my favorite English students, Beiley.

This is me on top of the world, or the continent anyway. I'm the one in the green sweatshirt, and we're at the summit of Mt. Whitney. You don't want a closer up picture than this; we hadn't seen showers in five days.

My sophomore roommates, in our bowling attire.

My other life as an airplane pilot.

My other life as a...nevermind.

And now, ten years ago...Actually, I think the former picture was the ten year shot. This is eleven. Freshman Melanie and my roommate Jess, dressed up as long lost twins writing to the same missionary.Just before High School graduation.

Sometime in Junior High I think.

Not sure how old I was here, but it's definitely more than ten years ago. How about that hair? And my brother's glasses, which I think are now back in style.

I had a rather awkward phase from first grade until...well, I'll let you decide. But it definitely wasn't over at this point. And I couldn't find any baby pictures so you'll just have to take my word for it that I was an adorable baby.