Life Happens on Ruston Way

Bryce and I headed to Ruston today and it took me down memory lane. I've really grown up along that sidewalk. Memories go as far back as Mother's Day as a kid having brunch at Shenanigans. I remember going rollerblading there with Lacey in Junior High. She wore her brand new Gap jeans for a rollerblading outing and this mean little ankle biter dog jumped out and grabbed her leg causing her to crash and put a hole in those brand new jeans. I remember getting all dolled up for our 9th grade dance. A big group of us girls headed down to the waterfront to take a pictures and have a fancy dinner. We felt like VIP. Looking back, I laugh.

When David and I started dating, he had just gotten a new truck. His dad told him not to leave Puyallup. He came and picked me up and we headed to Ruston way to for a walk at sunset, leaving Puyallup. We were just getting out of the parked truck and a cop pulls up threatening to write David a ticket. He parked where you couldn't park after dusk. Luckily David got out of it and his Dad never knew he left Puyallup. That ruined our walk though, we headed back!

Before I knew it, I was laying in the grass on a hot summer day... my wedding day, with Maid of Honor Jesse escaping before the craziness started for a nap in the grass under the sun. We didn't tell anyone where we went. We just needed a nap! I'm still not sure my mom even knew we did that. It didn't last long, there is lots to do on your wedding day after all! Our wedding day started and ended there for me. After our wedding our loving friends set up a room at the Silvercloud. David and I arrived but before checking in, we sat on a bench along the sidewalk for a while letting it all sink in. I was in my dress and he was in his tux. A memory that only is in my head but would have been a great wedding picture!

This is the place I had celebrated my 21st birthday and had my first legal drink in the Ram with friends and family. It was a lemon drop. I still love those. There were many birthdays celebrated there. It was also the place I said goodbye to my friends before I moved to Missouri with David. And the place I signed the papers to put an offer on our first home.

There were countless Saturdays spent walking with friends or David just catching up or enjoying the weather. Countless jogs getting ready for one of my runs. One walk was with my friend Vicki. She was out of it. It was an odd walk we both admitted. She wasn't quite sure what was "off" either. Soon after that, she found out she was pregnant and was happy to understand why that walk felt so different :)

David and I always love checking out all the dogs along the way. We used to talk about walking a dog there one day. When we got Lilly, we couldn't wait to take her there. I think she loves it too, she gets to see lots of dogs.

So today, as I pushed my sweet little boy in his stroller along the path. It kinda got me chocked up a bit when I realized how special this little moment was. That one day, I will remember this too. It wasn't Bryce's first time down there either. It was just our first time without David or Lilly and so I was left to let my mind wonder. I know that as fast as all the memories along the waterfront came and went so would this. Next he'll be riding his bike and I'll be trying to keep up with him.

I heart Ruston Way.