I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. You’ve missed so much already! How can I possibly catch you up on the 398 Saturdays we’ve already had together? Knowing we’ve used up nearly half of them already makes me teary eyed and simultaneously gives me a bit of baby fever. I should introduce us, right? We’re going to be fast friends. I’m Tiffany, mom to Ryder, wife to Brandon, and general workhorse to my employer. I’m 33. I forget that sometimes. In days where millennials are the butt of all jokes, I feel as if I should be a little younger.
I have the day off today, and instead of painting my kitchen or being outside on this lovely Fourth of July, I decided it was high time I started this blog. I’m not sure what made me remember on today of all days that I should finally begin this adventure. It could be the fact that Ryder has been with my mom and step father for the past week joyfully frolicking in the cornfields of Ohio (so, I miss him, duh!). It could be that I’m reminiscing about the first dozen Saturdays we spent together where I was barely able to move without fear of breaking him or my stitches wide open, so I poured over our genealogy on ancestry.com (yep, I’m that girl). There’s a high probability it’s because I’m spending countless hours planning yet another Disney Vacation and trying to determine if buying into DVC (Disney Vacation Club) is in our budget this year. However, the most likely reason is because I’m just avoiding the ACTUAL work I have to do. BUT, it’s my day off, right? Right. So here goes…
This past Saturday, I watched my youngest brother (in-law) get married. If ever there was a golden child, it would have to be him. He’s also, as aforementioned, the youngest. I watched him take the dance floor with my MIL, and they both started sobbing. I’m not much for crying, to be honest. Since my dad died, little else has seemed worth so many tears, and I now live life in such a way to have few regrets worth crying over. However, this made me emotional. Ryder is my one and only little boy (maybe for good), and the thought of giving him away in 20 30 years seems almost too much. However, I was wearing a rental, and I held it together.
You’re probably wondering why my kid is in Ohio while his uncle is getting married, right? Well, you see, I spent my summers with grandparents who lived far away. While my seven year old isn’t ready for a whole summer, it seems an important part of childhood that they get to see the world. Ohio may not seem terribly different than Arkansas if you aren’t from either place. Let me tell you, the people are different, the experiences are different, and being away from your own people and routine opens your eyes. I moved 9 times in K-12, and those experiences were formative.
Okay, so… if you’re still reading, I have intrigued you in some way. I have piqued your interested, and you can’t put the phone down. I’ve got miles of useless info coming your way. We might have to move backward in time to move forward, but I promise… all the good stuff is yet to come.