I Am Old

I am. No, really. I am. I’m reminded of it on a daily basis it seems. Now myself? I don’t view myself as old. To me, I’m a spring chicken! Yes, I get that I’m  28. But now being that age it seems so young! I always think of myself as a young Mama, and then realize that when I had Prayse, my Mom already had two kids and I NEVER thought of my Mom as young (sorry Mom!). Awww man, Prayse isn’t going to view me as the cool hip mama. Bummer.

I remember when I was pregnant with P, and we’re talking extremely pregnant, about 3 weeks before I gave birth. I was interviewing a kid man no, we’re gonna stick with kid on this one. He told me he graduated from Wesleyan, I told him I had graduated from Doane. He asked me when, I told him 2003. His response? “WOOOOOOOOAH! Dude, I was still in HIGH SCHOOL then!” Good luck getting a job dude. (Don’t write me up, it was one of many reasons he wouldn’t be a big fit – like bragging that he was in the fraternity that got shut down for hazing with alcohol, cutting our interview short b/c he had to go to Stop class, and finally realizing as I was walking him out that I was pregnant, he just hadn’t noticed before then, even when I stood up to shake his hand).

Last week, I was shown a picture of the Doane track team at their indoor conference meet this year. They decided to take a “Throw Back” picture – 1. I didn’t know what “throw back” meant, that was embarrasing – it’s another word for “Old School” if you’re like me and didn’t have a clue. Guess what? They were wearing our uniforms!!! Although, not a single chick had the balls (metaphorically speaking) to put on the bun huggers – and you call yourself dedicated?? But still – the uniforms we wore, the uniforms we competed in, the uniforms we won TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN are NOT “throw back” uniforms okay? I am not old enough to be Old School!

THEN today – I rounded up some clothes that I just don’t wear any longer. They are cute, I like them, but I’m building up my snowflakes for the month and decided to take them to two consignment stores that I know of here. One took a couple of things, the other only took one pair of jeans. She told me that I just seem to have an “older style.” Good grief. The nail in the coffin – granted this is a younger-ish store – but I still take my Grandma there to buy jeans! Now she’s about the hippest Grandma around But still… What they didn’t realize was that the jeans they bought – I actually bought them in that same store over a year ago, for $7.00 – they gave me $6.40 for them today. So I basically rented a pair of jeans for 60 cents – that’ll do.

Tonight I was running some errands and pulled into a parking lot and thinking about this topic. I shut off my car, got out and turned around to make sure it locked. I noticed that I had parked in between a mini-van and a Mustang. It was kind of symbolic, maybe that’s where I’m at in life. Not quite to the mini-van (no offense) but not really a Mustang any longer. No matter what, I wouldn’t trade where I’m at for the world – it’s a pretty good place to be I’ve decided, even if I am OLD.

Speaking of errands and getting out – what a wonderful day/evening to do so. The weather more than hints of spring – it is downright taunting us! I’ll take it though. When I’m driving I have Miss P with me about 95% of the time – I love it as we get to sing ABC’s, attempt to take home and then squish hundreds of bumble bees (don’t tell PETA on me) and have lots of itsy bitsy spiders that climb up our water spouts. Love it. Starts my day off right and ends my day right.

HOWEVER… there are times when you need to be able to roll down the windows, put back the sunroof, turn up John Mayer as loud as the man can sing – and just relish in the fact that you’re alone. Even when it gets dark and the still 61 degree weather doesn’t feel like it when you’re traveling 45 miles down the road and you turn up your heater full blast – just so the windows can STILL be down, the sunroof can STILL be back, and Johnny M can STILL be singing (and maybe me also) our little hearts out. It’s the perfect duet really. I don’t get out much, I don’t get me time or girl time much, so I will take what I can get and enjoy those little things. More than enjoy, I’ll savor them because spring is coming and today was a good day.