BKF: Once a bridesmaid...

I know that the post about my trip back to Texas for my friend's wedding is long overdue. However, I have been revitalized (in spite of recent dramatic events in the Quest for Housing 2008) with regard to giving my beloved blog some much-needed attention. Therefore, I would like to discuss my latest BKFs (Big Kid Firsts, for those of you new to Wuthering Life):

1. Being a bridesmaid
2. Catching that oh-so-prophetic bouquet
3. Being a chauffeur for a day

With regard to the first item on the list, I found it almost exactly as I expected it. As the surrogate younger sister to the bride and best friend of the maid of honor, I made mad dashes to various stores for various forgotten items, convinced the bride that she deserved to take a break and get a manicure, and stood at the front of the church to witness her blessed union under the watchful eyes of Jesus and a bunch of people I'd never even seen before.

It felt like what I imagine (as it is all I can do) being in the homecoming court but not receiving the crown must feel like. On the one hand, it was a honor to be nominated, yadda yadda yadda. But the day wasn't about me. So why did I have to get up that damn early to make my hair do things it never ever does in real life? Well, it did give me an excuse to buy an incredibly hot pair of Guess pumps that I would never have allowed myself for everyday use and to wear a fancy gown, with tool and boning and a cute little bow. Oh yeah, and did I mention that it was an honor?

Moving on to item number two... ugh, must I? How about I keep this short and sweet. Oooh. Bullets!

• There were a grand total of SIX single girls at the reception (including the nine-year-old flower girl).
• We left the tossing bouquet (yes, there was a special bouquet made solely for this purpose and we forgot it) in the trunk of the car.
• I was the only bridesmaid to bring her bouquet to the reception.
• My bouquet got tossed.
• It headed right for the very small group of single girls.
• Everyone else leaned away.
• Some stupid, treacherous, traditional (did I mention STUPID?) part of me saw the bouquet falling and felt that it must certainly be horrible bad luck to just let it fall.
• I reached out and caught it.

For all of the reasons listed above, I feel very strongly that catching that bouquet means NOTHING. Strangely, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or nothing.

Finally, I was a chauffeur for a day. I drove the bride and groom around all day. There really isn't much I can say about this BKF other than to pose a question. Have you ever tried climbing in and out of a driver's seat with yards and yards of satin and tool layering your body? It. Is. Not. Fun.

And that, in a nutshell, was my trip. But it was great to see the area again (in the "oh look, I almost forgot about that place/thing/person"). Maybe that's another BKF...

"Mommy, wow! I'm a big kid now!"

Remember the days when every little thing was a milestone? You know, when speaking and walking and using the potty were all causes of major celebration? Or even later, when brushing your teeth on your own, dressing yourself, going to the movies without a chaperon, driving - all these things were monumental occasions?

I miss those days, and I don't understand why, as we get older, we stop celebrating life. Gone are the days when every first is something special, as are the seconds, thirds, and so on. Why is it that as we "settle down" and "grow up" we're expected to do certain things, pass certain landmarks, but 95% of them go unnoticed, or at least aren't celebrated?

I apologize for the randomness of this post, and the origin of this train of thought is so convoluded that I won't bother to explain. But, that's what I was thinking about in my far too quiet, temporary office today, and I thought I'd share.

Speaking of sharing, here are a few "Big Kid Firsts" that I have yet to properly appreciate:

• First Independent Move - There was no school requiring me to be somewhere and no Mommy relocating me; it was just me making a decision and striking out.
• First Time Using a Bathroom Key at a Workplace - Keys at convenience stores I get, at work...not so much. I feel like I'm being forced to use a hall pass.
• First Time Reading Through the Entire Express During a Single Train Ride - I wasn't even reading particularly fast, either!

So, those are some of my most recent BKFs. Be sure to keep a lookout for more. Also, I'd love to hear a few of yours. After all, I'm not the only one who should be celebrating!