Belly Button Rings=My Youth?

I am 26-years-old...not old at all, but out of my "fun" early twenties. However, while I am only 26, I feel like I am an old 26. A lot of my friends are not married, have no kids, are even still in school. Yet I am married, I have an almost 3-year-old, a 10-year-old step daughter, I graduated from college now 4 years ago, and my career is a preschool teacher. In my free time I wash clothes, clean house, carpool, go to parks, and cook dinners...and I sometimes find time to go running. I sometimes feel like my life resembles a 30/40-year-old and not a 26-year-old.

So I find ways to hang on to my youth. I stay the same size I was at 20, I still go to the tanning bed once every two weeks (begin the lectures), I color my hair every 6 weeks (I have made my hair dresser swear to never tell me when my hair goes grey/white), I wear ridiculously short shorts (I debated this one but the husband requested they stay), AND I still have my belly button pierced from when I was 18 and snuck and got it done.

That's right-I am a belly button pierced Mom and preschool teacher. And I like it.

Recently I had surgery and was asked if I had any more metal on me. I said no until John pointed out my belly button ring was still in-I had forgotten I even had it. It has become more of a part of my body after 8 years then an accessory. I took it off, handed it to John, and he lost it. I think he did it on purpose. When I brought it up 5 days later (once the pain killer fog lifted) he told me he didn't want me to wear it anymore. It didn't seem like a bad request so I agreed and moved on.

Then last week while John was out-of-town, I decided to surprise him and clean out his car for him, wash it, and vacuum it...quite the job if you've seen his car! While cleaning it I found my belly button ring in his car door. After thinking about it for a few minutes I decided not wearing it was like giving up my big rebel move of my youth when I turned 18 and snuck and got it pierced. A piece of my youth I am not willing to give up yet. So I slipped it back in and made the deal with myself that I will wear it as long as my stomach is still flat. Pending that body change, I will take it out. Until then I will hold on to one of the few things that reminds me I am ONLY 26:-).