The Joys of the Early Teenage Years

I have fallen a bit behind in recording my memories. This post will cover 7th & 8th grade. Oh my. Seventh and eighth grade. Is there really any other really awkward time in a persons life than this age? Case in point.

Yup. That's me in seventh grade if I remember correctly. Yes, I was mistaken for a boy more than once in my young life. This is prior to the "perm" phase I went through. My poor, poor hair. 

Nothing stands out as overly dramatic to me during these two years. Although, I'm sure if I asked my siblings or my Mom they would correct that statement. 

Seventh grade I quit all music. I'm not even sure why. I think it was over some perceived slight. I have no idea really. It worked out though since my younger sister was starting fifth grade and would need the family clarinet to join band - which we all did. Since she only played one year, I had my beloved clarinet back in eighth and I played the remainder of my school years. That clarinet is sitting in my closet to this day.

School changed a bit too. While we still had the same divisions in the grade (7-1, 7-2, etc), I think it was gym class that made it so I had to be in the same level for all grades. This meant I was bumped up to 7-1 for math instead of staying in 7-2. Boy, did I struggle. Math and I have never gotten along.

I joined basketball my eighth grade year. I remember trying out for the team in seventh grade and not making it and being very upset about that. Granted only two seventh graders total made the team, but for some reason I thought I should have made it. I'd never played before ever, but I still thought I should have made it!

I did play softball both years. I pitched a little (and loved it) but usually ended up in the outfield. 

Emotions and frustration ruled me and I do remember throwing a baseball at my bedroom wall to vent. I grew up in a very old farmhouse. In fact, it was the second oldest house in my town. It had old-fashioned horsehair plaster (instead of sheetrock). I used to wing that baseball as hard as I could at my bedroom wall. It would bounce off my bed and I would toss it back again. I had a huge hole in my wall and amazingly enough, my parents let me do this! It may be because they knew they would eventually redo the room so I was just doing some minor demo for them early.

My eighth grade year found me with the side part (hid my cowlicks rather well). Do you like the layered polos with the popped collars? So in style I tell ya! Of course, I have to share my regular style. Yes, this is how I left the house on many a day......

To say these were the "awkward" years, just might be an understatement.