Saturday, July 21, 2012

Taylor Rockie Dodds

On Wednesday June 13th I got one of those types of calls at work that you know you'll never forget.  It's like how everyone can picture the exact moment that they learned about 9/11.  The mental images of myself at my desk at 1:41 pm on June 13th when I received a text from my Dad asking me to call him and then when I called him back from the hallway at 1:50 pm are forever seared in my mind.

He told me that my cousin Taylor had been in a wreck that morning and that he'd passed away.  At the time we knew very little.  As facts emerged we learned that around 6:15 am or so he was on his way to work and for some unknown reason he crossed the center stripe on a 2 lane highway.  He was hit by an 18 wheeler and passed away immediately.

I have suffered losses since starting this blog and I typically don't share them publicly.  I don't like attention and I tend to be able to process things better when I can do so on my own time.  The reason I am sharing this particular loss publicly is 2 fold.  First, I hope that it will serve as a poignant reminder to anyone who reads this blog to hug their loved ones and tell them how much they mean to them- you never know when it will be the last time you are given the opportunity to do so.  Second, Taylor was only 23.  The other losses I've suffered in life have been grandparents.  While no loss is easy, I've found comfort in those losses knowing that they lived full lives and likely got to achieve or experience most of what they hoped to - having children, seeing their children get married, experiencing grandchildren, etc.  Taylor was just starting his adult life in this world.  That's an awfully difficult pill to swallow.  I never pictured a scenario where my future children wouldn't meet my dear cousin Taylor.  I want them to know what an amazing person he was.  Hopefully this blog, as well as any future stories I tell them, will serve as a reference point.

Anyone who knows us well knows that my family made an annual road trip in the summer to South Bend to visit my Mom's side of the family.  She has 2 twin sisters, Jan & Jean, each of whom have 2 children, Kara & Travis and Ashleigh & Taylor, respectively.  Those road trips were absolutely the highlight of our year for Matt, Julie & I.  Over the years, despite a nearly 20 hour drive between us, the 7 of us became very close thanks to getting to see eachother for a week or two each summer.  Particularly as adults and since the passing of our Grandmother 5 years ago, we've become even closer.  This past year only strengthened that bond as we had the good fortune of seeing eachother 3 times between Ryan & I's wedding last July, Ashleigh & Kyle's wedding in October and most recently Travis & Miranda's wedding in May.  As our family has grown and evolved through marriage and babies, we've only enjoyed eachother's company more.  I have always pictured taking my own future children up to South Bend to get to know my cousins and their children so they could experience the same joy that I always did.  I never ever ever envisioned a scenario where any of the 7 of us would be missing.

It's so difficult to summarize a person in just a few short paragraphs, but I am going to do my best to at least paint a small piece of the portrait that was Taylor.  He was the youngest of the 7 of us and he was endlessly entertaining.  As a kiddo he always envisioned himself as quite the ladies man.  During a trip to Tower Hill in Michigan one summer we couldn't find hit.  After scanning the beach for about 5 minutes we found him about 5 blankets down chatting up some teenagers.  Typical for our little blonde haired blue eyed heartbreaker.  He could not have been more than 6.  Taylor loved baseball and played it his whole life.  He was one of the most competitive people I know.  He wanted to win so badly when he was younger that he would sometimes "bend" the rules.  And by that I mean cheat.  It was a well documented joke in the family that you needed to keep your eye on the number of cards in his hand or how many he had in the discard pile, depending on what we were playing.  

Taylor had the best smile and laugh ever.  His smile was a unique brand of mischievousness and genuine warmth that was outrageously contagious.  His laugh was a typical Brady one- pretty high pitched and made you laugh whether you wanted to or not.  He was also a sports fanatic and I remember a phase he went through where he was a huge OU football fan.  You can imagine how much fun that was for my Longhorn sister and I.  Good-natured heckling was free-flowing.  He may still have been as of late but perhaps their record made him keep his mouth shut... or more than likely he'd moved on to teasing about other things. 

Tay was a family-oriented guy.  Over the years some of us would inevitably miss family gatherings due to whatever we had going on at the time- it was never Taylor.  In more recent years he absolutely adored time spent with his baby cousins - Shiloh, Ava & Tripp (who range from 2 - coming up on 6).  It makes the news that he was months away from being an uncle himself even more shattering.  I will never forget the width of the beam on his face when he showed me a text at Miranda & Trav's rehearsal dinner in May from his sister giving him permission to tell "the Texas family" that he was going to have a niece or nephew in January.

All around, he was just the piece of our family's puzzle that helped make it complete.  Without him, something will always be missing.

These short paragraphs don't even scratch the surface of my dear cousin.  I know that not everyone who reads this blog comments.  However I hope that for just this one post that those who feel up to it- whether I know you or you just searched his name on the internet- that you leave a comment with a happy memory.  I know he will always be here in spirit for those of us who were blessed enough to know him, but I want the same for future Brady family descendants.  I would be incredibly grateful.

Taylor, we all love and miss you to depths that can't be expressed in words.  I hope that you and Grandma are playing Skip-bo on the daily (but don't you dare cheat with her) and that you keep some Mountain Dew handy for when I see you next.  Hugs and kisses forever sweet Tay Tay.

This was one of the earliest pictures I could find- Jimmy James and Taylor ice skating.

 Heartbreaker.  Tell me you wouldn't let this kid on your blanket.

 Trip to the Chicago Zoo.  Clockwise starting with the hunk in the neon orange- Travis, Matt, Julie, Ashleigh, Kara, Me & Tay.

 Same trip to the Zoo, same awesome attire.  Apparently as a child I enjoyed taunting my younger cousin?

 Handsomest of little men.

 Matt, Taylor & Trav playing pick up sticks at Grandma & Grandpa's with Uncle Tom.  That was always a grandchildren favorite.

Ashleigh & Taylor - siblings who make stripes look good.

  Ashleigh, Julie & Taylor playing some tunes.  Or mashing some keys.  That's probably in the eye of the beholder.

Grandma, Ash & Taylor with Jack Frost.  This has to be one of my favorites.


A Very Dodds Family Christmas - Uncle Rockie, Ashleigh, Aunt Jean & Taylor.


 Aunt Jan, Aunt Jean, Taylor & Ashleigh.  I think this may have been at Potato Creek.

 Taylor & Matt modeling the early 90's line of Buzzcuts by Kara.

I forgot all about Must Bust.  Ashleigh, Me, Taylor, Travis & Julie.  We spent so many hours around the table playing cards.

  Aunt Jan, Uncle Tom, Kara, Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Jean, Ashleigh, Taylor & Travis.  I think Julie sent them Flat Stanley as part of a school project because I don't think we were there for this or the overall to non-overalls ratio in this photo might have been doubled.

 Ahhh, the Family Matters era.  Who doesn't miss that?  Julie, TayTay, Ash & Matt rocking some Urkel wear.

Ashleigh, Jules, Taylor, Trav, Matt & I with some balloon friends.

Burying Taylor at Tower Hill.  This was such a fun trip.

   Eating and/or playing cards yet again.  Matt, Taylor, Ashleigh & Julie.

 Matt & Taylor looking daper at Grandma & Grandpa's 50th Anniversary party.

 Julie, Kara, Matt, Me, Travis' Date?, Travis, Ashleigh, Taylor & Paul- most mischievous kids table I've ever sat at.

 This one is hands down my favorite- it's my beloved cousin to a T.

 Ashleigh, yours truly, Taylor & Julie doing battle in some bumper boats.

Indiana family trip to Conroe in 2002.  Clockwise starting with the stud on the far left- Uncle Tom, Mom, Matt, Uncle rockie, Aunt Jean, Ashleigh, Julie, Taylor, Kara, Me & Aunt Jan.

  Trip to Indiana Christmas of 2006 - Aunt Jan, Ashleigh, Matt, Kara, Aunt Jean, Julie, Taylor & I.


 My entire Indiana family in Conroe last year for Ryan & I's wedding.  Top to bottom: Brian, Aunt Jean, Ava, Sydney, Kara, Tripp, Aunt Jan, Miranda, Uncle Tom, Travis, Shiloh, Ashleigh, Kyle, Natalie, Grandpa, Taylor, Mom, Paul, Julie & Matt.  (Ryan & I were on our honeymoon.)

Monday, July 9, 2012

Looks Like We Made It

One year ago today I forever hitched my wagon to a man who loves the dollar menu at Jack in the Box nearly as much as he loves me.  He also happens to be the most hilarious, intelligent and handsome man I know.  Not a day has gone by that I haven't laughed.  Multiple times.  Even on the days when I wanted to punch him in the nose (luckily I've not kept track of what percentage of 365 that was in the current year), I still fell asleep at night knowing that I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Thank you for standing by my side through the ups and downs that life has dealt us over the past year (and the 4.5 before that).  None of the good times would have been as sweet nor the tough times as bearable without you.  Happy 1 year, Mr. Martin!  I look forward to what year 2 has in store for us.


Can you believe we made it 1 year?!  Who'd have thunk?


P.S. Thank you also, once again, to everyone who helped to get us where we are today.  Your love and support are priceless.  We truly are blessed beyond measure to have the world's greatest friends and family - not a day goes by that we aren't grateful for that.  Plus, you guys have some killer dance moves.  Much love!


Get it Mr. Sumerlin!


Tiffany, was Sandy sure or un-sure?


 The cupid shuffle brings out some longing in Dena.


Hotties with bodies.

 
Grandpa B has moves like Jager.


My MOH was out-rage-ous.


 Group  hugs to all!  XOXO.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Two-riffic

On June 9th my precious niece turned a whopping 2 years old.  Tiffany decided to simplify things by having a small dinner at Rainforest Cafe to celebrate the birthday princess adding another candle to her cake.  Mama certainly knows best because Kylie (and of course her fan club) had a wonderful time.  I hadn't been to Rainforest Cafe in years and years.  I had forgotten just how many animals they have in that joint!  They do not take their motif lightly, that is for sure.

Kylie can make just about any animal noise under the sun, so dinner was filled with a chorus of Kylie also telling us what sounds the animals make while pointing at them.  She was simply too adorable for words.  I win worst Aunt of the Year award because I took no pictures.  Luckily Tiffany did and she let me borrow them- thanks SIL!

Happiest of Birthdays to my little ray of sunshine.  In the past year she's learned and grown so much - she started saying Aunt Amy and Uncle Ryan which absolutely melts my heart.  She's brought so much joy to my life in the last year and I look forward to how much more she'll bring in the next one.  Love you, Miss Kylie!  Good party, Tiffy!  Thanks for inviting us.  :c)



Mama Tiff & the Birthday Girl.


Whuddup, Ribbit Ribbit?


Here we have Kylie opening her presents...


... And here we have her Uncle creeping her our with them moments later.


Definitely a little diva in training- her favorite past time is putting on shoes or borrowing necklaces.


I am pretty sure she had just given me a kiss, but it's equally likely that she's just looking at me like I'm a nut.


This isn't from her birthday- it's from a random night I dropped by after work, but I couldn't resist sharing.  Work it girl!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

"Stranger" Things Have Happened

The first weekend in June Ryan had to work and I decided that cleaning the house alone sounded like a pretty boring way to kick off the summer.  To save myself from the fate of a housework-filled Saturday, I elected to tag along with Shawna & Dena to Free Press Summer Fest on June 2nd.  What is Free Press Summer Fest?  The masses would tell you it's a ginormous festival with a ton of wonderful musicians giving concerts along the bayou in Houston.  And yeah yeah, that's true - but I would also tell you that it was the single most incredible people-watching venue I've had the pleasure of witnessing since leaving Austin. 

I should have known when the guy in front of us turned around without warning and asked, "Hey- do you guys like stranger drink?  Nevermind, it's probably too early for that,"- that I was in a for a fun-filled Saturday. The 3 of us spent the day concert hopping, dancing, making random friends (quelle bonne surprise!), trying to sneak me into the FancyPants tent by any means possible, sweating our booties off, competing in a scavenger hunt in an attempt to win Dena her dream car, wondering why some people weren't wearing more clothing, watching some incredible dance skills and waiting (and waiting...and waiting) in line for pizza.  My favorite concert of the day was Snoop.  My favorite moment was when Shawna & I pretended to be a couple so that I could make it into the air-conditioned oasis of the FancyPants tent only to be immediately given the boot (for the 3rd time).  

The one bummer of the day was the lack of cell phone service.  Apparently bumping music and cell phone service are mutually exclusive.  It was so terrible that despite trying to text to meet up multiple times- Becca and I never could get in the same place at the same time.  Next year Becca- next year!  That aside, it was a hilarious day and I really enjoyed the festival even though I'm not a hard-core music fanatic.  Thank you Shawna & Dena for being my partners in crime! (For those of you concerned about yours truly shirking my house-ly responsibilities- don't worry.  I skipped Sunday and stayed home to clean.  At least I'm half-adult, right?)


Here we are right after being asked if we would like some stranger drink by a man in a hamburger shirt.


Do you know what kind of animal Dena & I are posing in?  I sure don't.  You have to love hippy artistic vision.


Stage 1 where we saw Snoop a loop, amongst others.


Leave it to the photographer to have fun accessories for even her iPhone camera.


We look like such fierce competitors- I still don't understand how we didn't win Dena that Jeep!  The only explanation is that it was rigged- that or Dena's over-enthusiasm about the Jeep's ability to auto-climb a steep hillside scared our driver.


Trust me, if you'd waited in line as long as we did, you would also have been this excited.


Good game, ladies.  Good. Game.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Stars & Stripes Up, Trees Down

While for 99% of America Memorial Day means hotdogs, hamburgers and a beer... for the Boarmans it apparently means heavy machinery, sweating and chainsaws.  We are the 1%!  For the 2nd Memorial Day in a 3 year time span, I walked into an orange-equipment-filled work zone unknowingly.  You would think I would learn, wouldn't you?

Ryan & I both happened to have the Friday before Memorial Day off so we headed up to the lake to get the holiday weekend kicked off early.  Mamacita was working and Papa Bear was allegedly working from home.  After we unloaded the truck, Ryan was whisked outside by my Dad.  I figured my Dad was undoubtedly either showing off the progress of their garden OR showing Ryan some crazy new nail gun that can also roast s'mores or something.  Approximately 5 minutes later I wandered outside, beer in hand, to find them like this:


You and me, kid - we're going to really freak your wife out.  (That's the conversation I imagine was taking place).


It was at that moment that I was struck by 2 thoughts - 1) my Dad's definition of working from home differs slightly from mine and 2) uh-oh.  I proceeded to watch what was happening to try to use context clues as to what they could be doing.  Let's see if you can figure it out along with me, shall we?


Based on this picture you might think the end goal is to cause a divorce.  I kind of was.


This picture might lead you to believe the goal was to help my Dad live out his life-long dream of seeing if he can scale an entire tree if given a head start.



Aha!  They're cutting down a tree.  (This tree was dead by the way- this was not just a random attack on the flora & fauna of Lake Conroe.)



Ryan was obviously an integral part of this portion of the operation.


The peanut gallery next door.


Eventually these Paul Bunyans in training successfully took down 2 dead trees on the lot next door.  I successfully took down 2 beers in the same amount of time as well as photographically captured these memorable moments.  I'd say we were all equally productive, right?

As a bonus, I also took some pictures of my parent's garden.  You may be wondering what my parents are doing with a garden by a lake.  So, little known fact about Jimmy James is that he is a farm-boy.  If you'd ever tried to hold a conversation with him about the IQ of chickens, you may have suspected- otherwise he keeps it under wraps for the most part.  I'm not sure if it was that he was reminiscing upon his youth or that he was trying to convince my Mom that the tractor has several practical applications, but either way  while Ryan & I were on vacation my parents planted a garden.   

Said garden holds every seed they could find at Home Depot, I think.  There are 3 kinds of peppers, corn, several herbs, about 5 kinds of tomatoes, the list goes on and on.  We saw the garden about a week after my parents planted it and it was cool to see how much it had grown in 5 weeks.  It wasn't quite as cool as having my Mom drop by some delicious bell peppers from the garden about a week ago, but still up there.  They plan to plant a pumpkin path there this fall- so I'm sure you can all look forward to pictures of Ryan behaving like a child in a pumpkin patch before the year is over. 


The big stuff on the left is corn.  Knee high by 4th of July is apparently not applicable in my parent's garden.  Perhaps that is just a Hoosier thing.



I was trying to get a close up of some little tiny peppers.  Turns out I'm not so good at close ups. Let's see how good you are spotting them.

On Saturday we decided to be good patriots by spending the holiday relaxing in the water and stuffing ourselves with way too much food.  Jen & Brendan came by to assist in our celebration.  Many spirited games of beer pong, laughs and beverages were shared.  As always, my parents spoiled us with way too much delicious food.




The beasts enjoying the pool before the humans took it over.


She's 1 now- that's like 21 in dog years, right?  (Don't call PETA, I am pretty sure Ryan re-filled his empty beer can with water for Lola-face).
 

Brendan appears to think he just won.  That or we just told him that we'd start paying him to handle our lawn care.


Jen, your face makes me laugh!

Sunday sadly we all parted ways.  Jen & Brendan went to take some holiday furniture sales by storm and Ryan & I had to head home so he could work the day shift on Monday.  Luickily we had enough fun in our 2 1/2 days that we didn't feel cheated on our 3 day weekend.  Thank you VERY much to my parents for generously hosting us- as always you are far too good to us.  Thank you most especially to all of the men and women who serve our country - this country would be nothing without you!