A letter from May 13th, 2020

Dear Future Hopefully when you’re reading this we aren’t still in quarantine, or another global pandemic. It’s like day 60 or something crazy like that in quarantine. The whole family’s doing pretty well, considering. Nana made a flipgrid (NanaTime), Jude was born and I haven’t gotten to see her closer than six feet yet. I hope she's super sweet and crafty like Veda is. Speaking of Veda she's what, like, 13 now?!!??! That’s crazy. I can’t imagine a thirteen year old Veda. Beckett and Benjamin are two peas in a pod as babies, how close of friends are they when you read this? Are they still best buds? I’d hope they were. Althea and Jackson are still both stubborn as can be, Aly still asks for a snack every two seconds and I’m guessing at 13/14 that won’t change. How was middle school? And high school?? Congratulations for graduating by the way. I don’t know what you plan to do with your life just yet, but I hope you’re doing what makes you happy! Oakley’s a little rage monster as we speak, and I doubt that’s changed about him since when I’m writing this. Woah, Oakley's like 11-12, the age I am now. That’s weird to imagine. I bet Matthews still got the same energy that he does when I’m writing this. Boo Boo’s got his PET scan in a few weeks to determine if the cancer’s gone or not. As of today they have a total of $9,680 on their GoFundMe and their goal is $10,000. I’ll bet Boo Boo’s cured of cancer and back to normal (well as normal as he can be.) Have they moved back to Ohio yet? So I guess when you read this, you’ll be 18, Ali, Veda, and Jackson will all be 13, Oakley and bear will be 11, Matthew will be 9, Benjamin and Beckett will both be 6, and Bri/Bry will be 23. Does mom still babysit the Smiths? Do we still live at 832 Quailwood court? Are we still in Ohio? Did you/I graduate from MHS???? Have you gotten back in your groove with writing? Are you gonna write with your side time, and get a permanent job? I know, lots and lots of questions. Are you gonna become a full time author with an editor and a publisher? Hopefully at 18 you know what you want to do with your life, but if not that's cool too. I’ve got no idea what I want to go to college for, but I do want to go to college. I’m certain about that. Some kids in my grade have already started to plan out their future, which colleges they want to get into, what they want to major in, yada yada ya. Right now it’s 11:49 on a Wednesday, and I’m sitting at the table writing this. The assignment (it's a school thing) was to only write a paragraph or so, but you know me (or knew me) and I’m definitely making this a 3-page-thing. You’re pretty smart and so hopefully you used that smart-ness to stay out of trouble (I mean, get into some, cause that’s just how being a teenager is) and I’d put money on you getting all A’s or B's. But knowing me (you) you probably redid everything you got lower than a 90% on because it would look bad if it was all A’s and one B. Sooooooooooooooo. Let’s talk about your social life. More like I’m asking questions to my future self, but that’s okay. Taylor still around? She better be. She’s like one of my best friends. I know for a fact that lilah and harper are still there. No question about it. They were there when I went to Europe (the first and second time) and when I moved to a completely different school district. I’m sure they’re still around. Riddick???? Things are complicated right now, but also not. Do you like him? Does he like you? Or are you guys just like best friends still? I’ve always wanted to have a boy bestfriend as a teen and I think I have two that have never met. Has Riddick met Duncan? Speaking of, how’s Duncan? Did he graduate from Moeller like he always thought he would? I bet he did. How’s he look with short hair? I canNOT imagine Duncan with short hair. It’s impossible for me! So what’s your relationship status? You got a boyfriend? I think you probably do. You’re an amazing, smart, beautiful individual. Granted you can’t walk, but everyone has their flaws. So if you do have a boyfriend, is it anyone I know? Anyone that was in sixth grade with us? So as I’m writing this, my hair is purple. What color is your hair at the moment? At graduation, do you have some super exoticly colored hair, are you wearing mardi gras makeup or are we the same then and now with our hair and makeup preferences? Neutral colored makeup, with either normal hair or purple, blue, silver, red, kinda colored hair? Do you dye your hair a lot? Within this past month, It went from purple to pink to normal to silver to normal to red to purple. Okay there are two questions I just REALLY need to ask. Are Althea and Jackson dating yet? I shippppppppp them. Have you dated Riddick yet? Have Mia and Cooper started dating? DO people even still say Ship? Is charliediamelio still like the most famous tiktoker? I’m going to take you on a trip down memory lane. Remember when we went on a trip to Disney World with Duncan and Kellan and Conner, (How is Connor by the way, he's like 24 or something right?) and we rode down in the giant black van, and we stopped for every meal, it wasn’t like a drive thru kinda road trip. And Duncan fell asleep on your shoulder and y’all looked like siblings and we rode on Expedition Everest and you were crying in line because it went backwards and you rode with Connor on the dumbo ride and he’s kinda like a big brother to you. Fast Forward/rewind to when Beckett was born, you made a tik tok and everybody loved your baby brother. You made the dumbest stuff on tik tok, the absolute dumbest. It was so cringy and over-done it was hilarious. You still love to read. That will never change. What are some of your all-time favorite books, Miss Graduating girl?????????? (IK cringe So I’m officially a seventh grader in a week exactly. Got any words of advice? Here’s my advice to you. Do what makes you happy, go to the college of your dreams, you're a hardworking independent girl who can figure out a solution if you need the money or need a scholarship, rewatch Gilmore Girls if you don’t believe me. You and Rory, peas in a pod. Here’s some quotes from people who have already graduated highschool who can give you real advice about college and life, since as of when I’m writing this I have not, in fact, graduated high school so I cannot give you correct advice about college and life. However, Dalia Lama can, and she says “the purpose of our lives is to be happy,” and Mae West says “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” I hope your life goes the way you planned. You’re a strong independent beautiful girl and whatever's going on in your life when you read this, bad or good, it will be sorted out. See you in the future! Can’t wait to meet you! ~sincerely, Past~