I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. My oldest sister Lynne had it at her house. My whole family was there, my 2nd older sister and my baby brother. My nieces and nephews who range from 20-2 years of age. It was so much fun, we laughed, ate, played music way too loud, danced and drank alot of wine. My husband and I drove down from Maine on Thanksgiving, and did not get there until 2pm, due to traffic. We stayed over and drove back and got home at 2pm, but this time no traffic just stops along the way.

I enjoy my family so much, and luckily so does my husband. He got a bit tipsy, which makes him even funnier. I am sure my nieces and nephews beside the two oldest who have seen us together are embarrassed. My sister Gwynne has a 12 year old girl, and at this time in her life my sister is an embarrassment to her no matter what she does. Do you remember being that age? In my mind at that age, my mom purposely tried to embarrass me so I would not have any friends. As I listen to my sister regale us with the stories, I realize my mom was just doing her best and she had no idea what would set me off. Pretty much, from 12 - 15 years of age, I was a sullen teenage girl, who can be driven to tears over nothing. Nothing seemed bigger than something.

My hair which to me was "CRAP", and always in my face because I felt so ugly, I figured if my hair was in my face I was invisible. After another blow out with my stepfather and sisters on my hair in my face, I ran upstairs and cut my hair. Now seriously, who did that hurt? I came downstairs all determined to say "SEE, are you satisfied? Instead, I got laughed at, which in retrospect I deserved. For a 13 year old girl it just made the whole situation worse and feeling as if no one understands me.

I would never want to go through that age ever again, to me everyone else did it with so much more grace than I did, you are insecure, having feelings that make no sense to you, and hair is growing where you not used to it. I see my neice now 20 and remember her puberty years, now her and Lynne are so close, like the Gilmore Girls close. Back then, they would fight over everything, and never seem to get along or actually talk. So my 12 year old neice Sarah, believe me you will get through these years with Gwynne and it may not seem it now but you will be friends when it is over. Being 12 is hard enough, but now watching my sister and thinking back, it must of been so much harder for my mom. One minute you are her sweet loving little girl and the next moment, she hates you and you will never understand what I am going through, because of course you were never a 12 year old girl now were you?