Saturday, February 12, 2011

Did We Look Like This in 7th grade???

Kami just finished up a 5 week etiquette and dance class, with a finale being a formal dinner and dance at Southern Hills Country Club. Here are the 30 girls gorgeous young women and boys who participated.

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Here is a little zoom in on Kami and three of her friends. I know I am biased towards these girls, but is their beauty not, well, um, outstanding if not a little disturbing? What happened to the "ugly duckling stage" that girls go through? Or was that a little story that my mom told me to make me feel better about my middle school years? (Similar to the story that cotton candy tasted like peanut butter?!! I believed that one for years!! I hated peanut butter so I never ate cotton candy)

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See for yourself below the ugly duckling in 7th grade. I actually had to drag out this picture so I could verify my thoughts on how I looked in 7th grade. I wanted so badly to have Farrah Fawcettish hair, but it did not work out for me. Granted I was not dressed up in this pic, but I have some of those pictures too from 8th grade graduation, and believe me, it was not one of my proudest moments. The saving grace of this picture is that I had just started wearing contacts! You should see my 6th grade school picture with my big brownish plastic spectacles. I really loved those glasses. I'll spare you that picture for now. Back to Kami's event...

seventh grade
Here is Kami and her cousin James. My dad's brother's daughter's son, also a 7th grader and part of the cotillion.
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I got to go take pictures of the kids as they arrived at the dinner and dance. This horrified Kami. And she was thrilled to see me walking my hiney out the door for the rest of the evening.
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Kami and everyone we talked to had a wonderful time at the dinner and dance. They had to use all their table manners and other etiquette lessons throughout the evening. They danced using different dance steps and with different partners.
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I don't know exactly what to think. Maybe every generation thinks the next one is "growing up way too fast." It just hard yet a blessing to see our 12 1/2 year old making such strides towards being a young woman. My prayer is that her inner beauty is what will shine... her love for God and others. And to answer the question posed in my post title, HECK NO!!!!

8 Wonderful Responses:

Shannon said...

Kami's a beautiful girl - she must get that from her momma :) And I am just as sure she is even more beautiful on the inside. Probably gets that from her momma too.

How fun for the kids! Wish they had something like that around here, the whole manners and etiquitte things seems to be going of out style. And no, I am DARN sure we didn't look like that in 7th grade. Not even close...but you were rockin' that Farrah 'do! Jealous. :)

Sammoch said...

You're right...beautiful girls! Not like any 7th graders I knew growing up! I love the pic of Kami and James too!

Valerie said...

No! I looked like Napoleon Dynamite's kid sister as well as probably looking about as old as a 4th grader. Way to go, Kami! What a beauty, both inside and out!

ThatsBaloney said...

No, we did NOT look like that in 7th grade. I'm still horrified at my school pic from that year.
You were rockin' that hairdo. I love it!

Kathleen said...

Oh my goodness - I know I sure didn't look like that in 7th grade (and you, btw, totally rocked the Farrah Fawcett do in my opinion!)! Your "baby" is absolutely beautiful, and the photo of your two together - precious! And, really, this brings tears to my eyes because we will be here in 2 years. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to stand it.

She really is a beautiful young lady!

Lauren Delaine said...

Wow! Those are some beautiful kids, um young ladies. AND young men. Kami looks like you, Annie. And that picture of you--HEEEYYY, who said the Farrah Fawcet 'do wasn't amazing? My all time fav! So naturally, I love your picture!

They do grow up fast. It's something I don't think we'll ever comprehend.

4 Lettre Words said...

Pretty sure I didn't blossom until age 30! :) Such a beautiful group, there...and wonderful photos, Annie.

Happy Valentine's Day!

momof4kr said...

I totally agree that each decade looks younger (& better) than the next. Reminds me of when I took Abby in the Pi Phi house back in Sept. She laughed hysterically at all of our hairdo's on our 1995composite picture...but then the 2010 composite - the girls all had perfectly straight, shiny hair...hmmm., wonder if they have just a few flat irons & keratin treatments goin' on over there!