To Tell The Truth

Prior to meeting and marrying Kenneth my life was, well, let's just say I am not proud of all of the stupid things I did. I drank way too much alcohol, smoked way too many cigarettes, broke way too many laws, did way too many drugs, made more stupid decisions than I can even remember... you get the idea. I stayed in college for 8 years just playing. I would start to make progress and then quickly change my major in an effort to never grow up and never have to take responsibility for anything. I was, as they call it, "finding my way." I am not really proud of all I did but it made me wiser in a lot of ways and made me who I am today. I am thankful that lifestyle is no longer mine. I have always said that when my kids were old enough to ask about some of the stupid things I did that I would be truthful with them for 2 reasons. 1. I want them to know I've done it and they will not slide it past me. 2. I want them to see that it is ok to make mistakes and that it doesn't mean people can't change and turn out better than they started. Today on the way to take Anna to daycare Carly started telling me about how Kenzie's uncle went to jail over the weekend for drinking a beer out on his boat. I was telling her about how people have to pay the consequences when they break the rules and yadda yadda yadda. I thought we were done with the conversation when she suddenly bursts out with, "Momma, have you ever been to jail?" Um, yeah, I never expected this whole truth thing to come up this early, I was preparing for like say the teenage years, not 5 years old. I told her that I had indeed been to jail for not paying a traffic ticket and then getting pulled over again and they took me to jail. I told her of how I only spent about 3 hours there but that was enough to make me realize I never wanted to go back. She asked if Nana and Pops (my parents) still loved me after that and I assured her that they did even though they were upset with me. So there it was, I was honest...way before I thought I would have to be. I can hear the playground rumors flying already. "Well, my Mommy went to jail..." Great, just what I wanted to be famous for. I just pray she cannot figure out how to pull the mug shot up on the internet!