Wasn't I JUST Wearing My Flannel?

Yes, it's been a while, hasn't it? What can I say? With weddings and birthday parties and the like, I guess I've been busy feeling a little old.

Birthday are one thing. Do I love the fact that my dear friends are now hitting those really significant numbers? Not so much but it's a fact of life. I can deal. But weddings? They're not necessarily in the cards for everyone and I'm fine with that, especially when it comes to people I helped raise.

It's strange enough when your friends start getting married but when a person you used to buy Play-Doh for suddenly shoots you a glossy, purple and white wedding invitation in the mail one day, it kind of makes you want to wrap up the most giant Play-Doh pack you can find (maybe even the prized hair salon kit) instead of actually going off of the registry and buying them that Cuisinart juicer. Because really, all you can you think is, how can she be heading off to the altar when I've still yet to buy a piece of brand new furniture in my life?

Sigh.

And I thought I had hit rock bottom a few months ago when I had heard that Pearl Jam's Ten album turns twenty this year. (Ironically, their album was released a mere two weeks after this girl was born.)

Double sigh.

I mean, do I really have to deal with the fact that my beloved grunge band (who caused my dear friend and I to waste hours of Physics class time figuring out the words to "Even Flow" instead of trying to determine when those two damn trains traveling at different speeds would actually meet) and my beloved girl are getting kind of old themselves?

What really kills me though is that I'm just on the cusp. I know that in the next few years, all of my "little" cousins will start with these invitations, too and I will suddenly turn into that relative who can't help but make reference to the day when I used to change their diapers because quite honestly, it really does feel like just yesterday.

On the bright side, it feels pretty wonderful to see a beautiful, beaming bride make her way down the aisle and know you had a little something to do with here she is today. I guess that's the trade-off for feeling like a dinosaur. I think I can take it. And maybe the next time I'm dealing with a bridal gift registry, I'll go ahead and buy one of those juicers for myself, too. After all, if they're becoming real deal adults, I guess I can be one, too.