Fluent Brittish: My Eras Tour

September Writing Challenge - Prompt #28:

Eras

2006-2009

Her: Debut Era

Me: New Mom Era

I had Nicky in 2006, and it was a bit of a rough start to motherhood. I had post-partum depression, and I was super hard on myself. I wanted to do everything perfectly, and I was constantly comparing myself to other moms. I read sign language books, made my own baby food, and cloth diapered.

The day we came home from the hospital

During this time, Scotty started school, so I was alone with Nicky a lot. I babysat my nephew who is 12 days older than Nicky, and I was always taking the boys to play groups, reading time at the library, and a music class.

I was a bit lost and bored after leaving my job. I craved friendship and connection.

2009-2010

Her: Fearless Era

Me: Church Service Era

I had Daisy in 2009. Around that time, I was heavily involved in serving in my Church, and that’s where I found my validation. At one point I had four church callings. I was an activity days leader, an assistant stake sports director (which I still laugh about - the Lord called me to be an athlete!), and a Relief Society teacher. On top of that I was called to be on the ward emergency preparedness committee.

The wild thing is that none of these assignments fazed me. I did them all without being overwhelmed, all while Scotty continued going to school everyday. I don’t know who that person was, but she’s long gone.

Centerpieces from a stake Relief Society event I was in charge of

2010-2012

Her: Speak Now Era

Me: Speak to a Therapist Era

I can’t fit a description of this era in a tiny paragraph. I also can’t really go into detail about this era because it affects the privacy of other people. Suffice it to say, there were some big changes in my family, and some hard things happened. So I went to therapy.

Then I had Zoe.

2012-2014

Her: Red Era

Me: Running Era

During these years I went through my running phase of life. I ran my first mile, and it was so hard and took me so long to build up the stamina to do it that when I finished, I fell over on my lawn and swore I was never going to do that again.

Running was never natural or easy for me. It doesn’t suit my body.

But I kept doing it. I ended up doing a bunch of running events. Interesting how in each era I have a different way of defining my value. In this era it was through running. I was physically healthy, but I was not mentally healthy. I overanalyzed every calorie I burned and every calorie I consumed during this time, and I was constantly comparing myself to other runners. In addition to that, I was always injured.

This photo makes me look hardcore, but the real story is I'm very slow, and someone had just slapped my butt

Our Ragnar van - I was known to say choice words while running... because I hate it so much

Then I had another baby.

The last one.

2014-2017

Her: 1989 Era

Me: Back to School Era

After Scotty graduated with his Bachelor’s, I thought we would enjoy some smooth sailing for a while, but then I got the prompting to go back to school myself. I found out I was pregnant with Eva the same week I was accepted into BYU-Idaho. We had tried for a pregnancy for a few months prior and didn’t have any success, so when I decided to go back to school, it apparently increased my fertility. Go figure.

I scheduled an induction, took my finals, went and had the baby, and then started my next semester in the hospital. As with my Church Service Era, I don’t know who this version of Britt was. How did I have a baby and take care of it while doing online school? I’ve blocked it all out, but somehow I did it, and I graduated in 2017.

My kids and me at my graduation

2017-2018

Her: Reputation Era

Me: Speaking Era

During this time I did a lot of speaking engagements. While I was in school I wrote a workshop on happiness for a required practicum. After I presented the formal workshop, I had a lot of people ask if I would come speak in their wards. I did a lot of Relief Society activities and a few youth activities.

Then one day I just had a feeling I was done. I got in my car after a speaking engagement, and I just had this thought, “You’re done now,” and I felt at peace about it. I haven't been asked to speak since.

Presenting my practicum

2018-2020

Her: Lover Era

Me: Coasting Era

At this point we coasted for a while. Scotty and I were both done with school after 11 years. Scotty landed a nice, comfortable job. We did a bit of traveling as a family - lots of National Parks and quick weekend trips. Scotty went out of town for work a lot, and we had a few medical issues, but we got through it. I did some things for my personal growth such as earned a Young Women medallion and Honor Bee, taught a free summer dance class for girls in my community, and made and sold some wood crafts. With Eva in preschool, I started having a little more time for myself, so I was able to work on a few hobbies and feel like I was finding myself again.

My final years with good hair

2020-2022

Her: Folklore Era

Me: COVID Era

Virus. Lockdown. Remote learning. Remote working. Masks. Fear. Weirdness. Contention. Social distancing.

We all lived this era.

Now my life’s memories are divided into pre-COVID, during COVID, and post-COVID eras. If I’m trying to recall when a certain event happened, I just think about whether we were wearing masks or whether we had that old, free, untainted feeling of naïveté or the feeling of recently being released from being under a heavy rock.

Do we all agree that the COVID Era is the weirdest blip in the timeline of our lives? It was entirely wiggety wack, but it also messed with the space time continuum.

Our family in front of an empty Disneyland during its 412-day closure

Taylor actually had two eras during this timeframe. Her second era (also marked as 2020-2022) was her Evermore Era.

I had a second era during this time, too: my Bidet Era.

COVID changed my life… but not entirely in bad ways.

2022-2023

Her: Midnights Era

Me: Transition Era

These years were marked by slow and steady changes. We came out of COVID restrictions. Scotty changed jobs. All the kids were in all-day school. Nicky started high school, and got involved in new things like the golf team and theatre. Daisy started junior high. We had to change church congregations. We had some deaths in the family including the last of our grandparents.

My grandma was our final grandparent to pass away in January 2023

2024-Currently

Her: Tortured Poets Department Era

Me: TBD

I don’t dare slap a title on my current era because it’s still unfolding, but it’s definitely dominated by turning 40 and all the fun stuff that comes along with being an aging woman.