Mrs.

As a young girl, an old person' was anyone 20 years old, and in my little mind, anyone above that age was just ancient. I remember thinking I was never going to be 20, and when I turned 20 it was incredible to me. Then, turning 30 was a scary thought to me--30 is a 'real' adult.

Its funny how our perception of things changes as we grow older. Now, it isn't so much the numbers that make a person old, its the designations that go along with that age. Because, now to my adult mind, 60 and 70 is still young, especially when a persons' life is cut short at that age.

Someone called me Mrs. Krogsgaard this past Sunday while we had company over to celebrate the twins' first birthday, and I almost keeled over.

Mrs. Krogsgaard is husbands' step mom, not me! I am Alison and Ali to all my friends, nothing else. To my friends' children, I've always still thought of myself still in the first person. They don't need to address me by my full proper name--it makes me feel old.

Just like people feeling old when a person calls them ma'am. Even that doesn't bother me. (I kind of like it, actually.)

I have been married for two years, and that was the first time anyone has called me by my married name. After two years, it still sounds strange to my ears--especially since it's been used so seldom. I'm sure one day I'll get used to it- after its been said to me a thousand times or more, but until then, its going to make me feel old and decrepid!!