Dear 16-year-old-me....

I loved this video.  A good friend of mine posted it on her facebook page.  It moved me as it most likely will move you.  However, I have a different perspective.  I lived with the 'aftermath'.  I have 5 darling children....who came into my life in 2 different ways.  Two came the traditional way and 3 came all at once. And, just for your information, the 3 are not triplets. When I married, I had 3 little ones who became my focus and my heart. With the arrival of my last two children....my heart was filled and overflowing.

Listen to this message, or you may be listening to the sobs of a 9-year-old little girl who is crying at night for her mother....who has passed away from Melanoma.  The frustration of an 11-year-old boy who is angry...at nearly everything.  And the tears of a 5-year old boy who is crying because he is beginning to forget how his "Momma" looked....so you make sure that her picture is out for them all to see.

My kids have all expressed frustration about my insistence that they wear Sunscreen....and with a high SPF.  I don't care about that.....but I do care that they are around to see their children grow up and enjoy the blessings of life.

When I was a teenager, these concerns were not discussed, and I remember a lot of us using baby oil to help get a quick and deep tan.  Holy Cow....what an invitation to disaster!  So, as you listen to the frustrated and sometimes angry comments of your children when you insist that they wear Sunscreen......suck it up.  You can handle this.  If you are a teenager.....suck it up and protect your future. As much as we have made some wonderful family memories together....imagine how much these oldest 3 would have appreciated making them with.....their......Mother.