30 Things About Me: Tips for Brett

Since we're so close to the wedding, I thought I'd take this time to blog about myself as a way for Brett to understand what he's getting into when he utters those two words: "I do".

I call this little segment "30 Things About Me...Tips for Brett". This is a way for me to share those things that he may (or maybe not) know about me. A kind little gesture so he won't be frightened by my little intricacies. I'll try and be good and do one a day (I built in a little room for error since we're 36 days away from the big day).

Today...

Tip #1 I love stuffed animals.

I have always loved stuffed animals. I think it has to do with not being in the womb long enough, or perhaps its because I was essentially an only child growing up since there was such a huge age difference between me and my siblings. Whatever the reason, I have to sleep with something fluffy and cuddly at night.

Before my dad sold our house a few years ago, I had to go through all of my little friends and decide which ones I had room enough to keep and which ones had to go to Goodwill and be passed along for another child to love. Miraculously, I was able to keep two entire garbage bags full of stuffed animals. But sadly, the fate of six other bags is still unknown. I hope that they have made amends with little Suzy or Bobby, the drooling problems of a large German Shepherd, or the dirty habits of families that don't clean the house enough.

I have managed to stay close with Gorilla (he's been with me since day one), Mojo (Ann gave him to me my freshmen year of college when I was in the hospital), Edgar (a fluffy dog wearing a train costume that I got for a birthday), Puggle (a little pug/beagle mix that Brett bought me for our first V-Day), and Lumpy (the best X-Mas present ever!), just to name a few.

I'm sure I could go to bed at night and sleep soundly without Lumpy or Gorilla, but a piece of me doesn't want to. I know I will have Brett next to me at night (and he's quite furry enough), but it's just not the same. Sometimes the quiet, silent stares, the unjudgemental touch, and the unconditional love that my stuffed animals provide me is more than anyone else can. They've heard secrets that no one else knows. They've been with me as I cried myself to sleep at night.

Many people would say that I have attachment issues, but I don't look at it that way. I feel that my childhood memories are something that should be cherished. For as long as I have my stuffed animals, I remember things from when I was a little girl. I want to be able to give Gorilla and Lumpy to my own children one day and I hope they live on and on for generations.