I Just Realized How Grown I Am...

When the holidays roll around, I typically go on a tour of VA, it's slightly annoying having to do a bunch of driving, but it's always worth it in the end. This is how it usually goes Thanksgiving, stop by my mom's house (Fredericksburg) Thanksgiving morning, eat with her, then head to Richmond to spend time with the aunts, uncles, cousins, dad, and stepmom, leave at about 11 and crawl back in the bed. Christmas usually goes like this, Christmas Eve with Justyn's fam, Christmas morning with my mom in Fredericksburg, Christmas evening with extended family in Richmond, then back up north I go. You see where this is going? Well, my mom lives in Florida now, so I no longer have to make as many stops, OR so I thought. So Justyn and I rode down to the 757 together (because my car was already down there) Thanksgiving morning,  all for me to jump in the car with my parents and ride to Richmond, get back to Hampton at 3:45am Friday morning -_-, then dinner with Justyn's family Friday evening, chill Saturday with my parents, followed by Richmond again on Sunday after church. Listen honey! I wasn't supposed to leave Hampton until Monday morning, but I was NOT about to spend my time off from work being in the car for 3 days, so I drove my happy hips to Richmond Sunday and came home afterwards. Best decision I could've made for myself...

Now let me tell you, I haven't been to Hampton in God knows how long, meaning I haven't stayed with my parents in God knows how long either. I realized something while I was down there, I'm grown. LMAO! I need my space. I've always known that I can only be around my parents for a max 4 hours in one day, one setting, but I always thought it was because they were overwhelming, but really it's because of my personality type. My MBTI results said I was an ENFJ, meaning I'm an extravert, I draw my energy from the outside world, but I'm BARELY (imagine that "blind" chic in the back of the cop car as you read that) an extravert, merely by one point. So that means, I need my alone time just as much as I need my group time. Well honey, I'm an only child, and that just DOESN'T happen with my parents. Any time we're together, they wanna be TOGETHER. Mainly my dad, my mom has a very similar personality to me, which is why we get along so well. I mean this with love because it's absolutely hilarious, but my dad is a handful. We're watching TV in the living room and he talks throughout the entire show for hours. LMAO! I mean all we watching is a marathon of Chopped and he commentating like it's sports. BRUH! "AWH MAN! I KNEW IT! I TOLD YA'LL HE WAS GONE WIN, DIDN'T I?!?!" LMAOOOO! It's so freaking hilarious...for the first hour...and as I look back on it now, but it's overwhelming in the moment because I really can't deal with a lot of stimuli sometimes.

The positive is I got uninterrupted time with my dad, I learned how to make my stepmom's dinner rolls. I just ate 5 by the way...as a snack; I may need an intervention. Pray it goes to my butt. I also got to spend my grandpa's 85th birthday with him. I'm realizing as I get older how important it is for me to spend time with my family, even if it means a bunch of driving because I don't want to have any regrets when they're gone.

Black don't crack. 85.

Why does making yeast rolls take over 2 hours and a lot of shoulder muscles???

But they were totally worth it. Dang! I want another 1 now.

So, I realized I was grown because I need my space and the ability to shut folks out when need be. If you're asking yourself "well what you gone do when you're married, Tiffany?!" my answer would be "aint that what separate bedrooms, living rooms, and knowing your partner is for". Just saying. Plus, you can't be as blunt with your parents as you can be with your partner. Also, Justyn knows when to leave me alone, my dad on the other hand, will see it all over my face, ignore it, and keep on talking. LMAO! I swear I love him. Also, I can't stand not having my snacks, fave food items, and etc in the house. As you can imagine.

I just love being in my own space.  Now let me get back to looking at serving dishes, platters, and beverage dispensers online, because again, I'M GROWN!