I am... Raven

I am…

A daughter, a granddaughter, a niece, and a friend. 

Raised on pleases and thank yous and especially ‘no elbows on the table, napkin in your lap’ type manners.

A friend, who misses the walks that probably weren’t the safest, the Easy Bake oven my friend had, and the air hockey table on the screened-in back porch. The complaints we shared after school was over for the day.

The Uno and Guess Who games of family game time. I am the laughs, the smiles, the hugs shared among mother and daughter. The treats we shared.  The time we would share in the kitchen. The love we have as mother and daughter. I am the deals made on who would load or unload the dishwasher.

 A high school senior who has made it this far, surviving the past three years in an overcrowded school. Where I learned of my love of baking and my disdain for slow people in the hallway, and kind of how to deal with others. The assemblies so looked forward to for the reason to get out of class, only to find out I would still have to go to class for longer than I wanted.

I am…

Brownies, cookies, and all things dessert. I am the birthday cake had every so often. I am the cheesecake that sold for the highest price at a charity bake goods auction that made everyone seem to up their game for the next round. I am the family recipe: chocolate sheet cake, and the chocolate-peanut butter rice crispy treats. The Betty Crocker cookbook that has been in the family for ages.

The old off-white sofa with floral designs replaced by a plush dark brown one. The “popcorn” bowl that has been retired into just another mixing bowl for some years now. Figurines of our favorite dog breeds and other animals.

An old but fairly well kept doll that my mother got for me when I was only two. The hand-painted Russian nesting doll, a different design on each one for the world's most loved daughter. The picture books we would share, the bagged and boxed and well-loved notes of a loving mother; one for each day I would be gone on a trip.

The binders filled with pictures and memories.

The unfinished projects forgotten. The books left unread.

The girl who will stay in bed and not get up for as long as possible.

The world’s cutest hamsters, Pickles, Chips, and Polly. The ting of food being shoved around in the ceramic food bowl by noses and feet. 

I am…

Dark brown eyes and lighter than my momma's skin. Light blonde hair that keeps getting darker and darker, that lays pretty straight.

Of average height, with slight curves.

T-shirts and comfy pants and flip flops.

not 16, but still too young to buy stuff off of infomercials and legally sign a contract.

Older, happy, loved, I have endured and preserved.