April 13, 2010

8


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When I was 16, I went out to New Jersey to visit Tara and David for a month. I loved it there. We were a 45 minute train ride away from Manhattan and I craved the big city atmosphere. While I was there, I drove around Edison a few times to run errands for Tara while she was taking care of the wee babes, Luke and Mathew. And while I ran those errands, I learned that driving around New Jersey was NOT like driving in Washington. (Mind you, I had had my license for 3 months. Count it. THREE MONTHS. I was a skilled driver.) In New Jersey, if there is the smallest space between two cars, you get out in that intersection. 'Cause if ya don't, then you get a LONG line of honkin cars behind you. I learned what it was to get out into an intersection, and FAST!

Since that time, I still implement my New Jersey driving habits here in Washington, where the pace is just a little slower than average. And when someone else waits for multiple cars to go by before they pull out, it maddens me. I get a wee bit impatient. I may or may not have road rage. Anyway, for some reason, whenever I am with Dallin and he is driving, I have gotten into this habit where if he doesn't go when I think he should, I say, "You could have gone 8 times!" Every time. Why the magical number 8? Who knows. It just flows out of my mouth though. It's natural. Dallin has decided this is the magical number for me and we're going to end up having 8 kids. I tell him he's out of his mind. Unless I can get pregnant 4 times and they're all twins, then I might consider it. Other than that? No way. No how.

But I digress. So, today I was thinking about us moving again down to Salem, and I thought about all the moves we've done recently. And guess what I figured out? In the last year and a half, I have moved 8 times. 8. There it is again. The magical number 8. It haunts me everywhere I go. And we're moving into apartment B8! I'm telling you, I am destined to have the number 8 everywhere in my life. Ok, maybe not. But I thought it was kind of funny that the number I always use just happens to now represent the amount of times I have moved in the last year and a half. And yes, I give you all permission to feel sorry for me. :) Ha, who am I kidding, I'm not even sorry for myself! I've got this whole packing thing down to a science. And I de-clutter every time I move. I get rid of all my unused junk and clothes. (Gives me excuses to go by more clothes! :)) See the pluses here people?? I'm telling you, moving is great. But, when the day comes that I won't have to move anymore, I will be mighty thankful. Then I'll just have to be super organized and motivated and de-junk every few months. You know, keep with the tradition.

And that is my tale about the number 8.

6 comments:

Attitude of Gratitude said...

I think my number of choice is 20. Does that mean I'm going to move twenty times? Oh well, I'm probably half-way there already right.
(yeah, and I'm not the Duggar Mom. I won't be having twenty children in this lifetime or the next)

Marcus said...

And you were the 8th member of the family

tharker said...

You have the most positive attitude of anyone I know! Only you could look at moving this many times, and see the joy in it. I love this about you, Ashley!

ashley said...

And your forgetting the most important thing...your new apartment has 8 sides! :) I'm sorry i can't be there this weekend to help you guys move in, but I'm so excited your living in B8!

Lisa Christine said...

8 is great!

Lisa Christine said...

So yesterday as I was pulling out of the church parking lot, I was about to go, and then I noticed a car coming, so I didn't go, and then I realized that I probably should have just gone....and then I thought to myself, "I could have gone 8 times already"....lol....apparently this post made an impression on me!