I don't really have any excuses, except that I lost the inspiration to write the past 9 months, curiously coinciding with my soul-sucking choice to cater while auditioning.
But I've survived. And found new inspiration.
And in honor of starting anew, I'm developing a bit of a new approach to this blog. Rather than simply chronicling daily events in the life of Toph (which worked really well whilst being an adventurous ex-pat), I've decided to give it a bit of personal sparkle and share a memory each day, for the next year. Through to my 29th birthday, starting this Friday. We'll see how this experiment goes. I'm not really sure what I've defined for rules, but I want to start telling stories other than the daily bits, and maybe find a way to tie the two together.
So here goes.
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Today was my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary, and I had the pleasure of flying into Colorado this AM to surprise them for a special family dinner. I can't describe what it's like to see the love and life lived between two 80-somethings that have created a sprawling family over the past 60 years spanning 4 generations.
Every time my family gets together we relive the memories and stories that make us laugh, and that make our family something special and unique, be it our 6-handed double-deck games of Pinochle, the constant razzing by my Uncle Greg or the yearly ritual of the story of my sister's birth (we'll save that memory for Christmas Eve). We have something special and unique that stems from the love of two beautiful souls that I have been so blessed to come home to for the past 28 years.
My grandparents met when my Grandpa was staring out the window in Yankton, SD 63 years ago at a young woman mowing the lawn. He went out and asked her to the movies that night, and the rest is history. The details of their engagement are best when they tell them, and I finally heard the wedding day story from my grandmother today. It's truly remarkable history.
The best part? They prevented their friends from having a chiverie! And I'm the only person at the table who knew what that was. Thanks, Oklahoma!
So these two people fell in love, and here I am, blessed with a family that can celebrate this love and the many laughs and sorrows it has wrought. I'm truly thankful to be part of this crazy clan, and today was a special night I'll never forget.
P.S. I'm still having plenty of adventures. Tonight I'm sleeping in the camper outside in the driveway since the house is full of guests, and you better believe I'm thrilled! ADVENTURES!
