a Time Machine?... almost.

I wore a polar fleece vest today... first time in a long time... and I reached into the pocket and felt a little piece of fabric. I turned it around in my fingers for a few minutes before actually taking it out to see what it was, but once I saw it, I was thrown back in time!

It's amazing how sights, smells, tastes, sounds, and in this case, objects, can do that to you... happy or sad... good or bad... You find yourself drifting back to that time remembering little details that might as easily been forgotten.

This weekend, we drove past the Virginia State Fair, with the car windows open so we could catch a whiff. Of course, it's not the same as the Alaska State Fair that I remember so fondly from my childhood... but the smells were still the same, and had the same effect. Cotton candy and hamburgers. Suddenly, memories of standing in line for the Octopus, gawking at stinky, over-sized farm animals, spray-painted mohawks, and button photographs flashed through my mind.

So where did that little piece of fabric in my vest pocket take me today? It was actually a piece of tattered black and white polka dot ribbon. The last time I wore this vest was February 13, 2009, when I was decorating for my sister's wedding. She got married the next day on February 14th, and it was a very HAPPY DAY! It was a celebration... of two families coming together as one! We laughed, cried, and ate a lot of food. We reminisced and took pictures so we wouldn't forget. The Grover Family grew a little a little bigger that day. And I was so happy to be a part of it! I'm forever grateful for my parents who flew us up for the occasion. And even now, 8 months later, words can't express the feelings that rushed back all because of that little piece of ribbon.






To the Silva's! I love you guys!