Back To The Future!

Back in 2001 our family visited the Tennessee State Fair for the first time. Holden was only 3 at the time (the only kid in our family), but he was a big boy who wanted to ride all the midway rides even the ones geared for bigger kids (and kids at heart). We had to convince him that he could not handle the one that flew 6 stories into the air upside down! But we all agreed he could ride the swings as long as mom rode along.

So we handed the ride operator our tickets and climbed in the two-seater swing ready to have lots of fun. As the ride began, the swings rose about 3 feet off the ground and the gentle rotation started. The wind felt wonderful on the hot, humid day. Then the "swings" did something no other swings I had been on before had done. The circular top that the chains were attached to tilted as it rotated. It was a slight tilt at first, but then more dramatic. Our gentle ride suddenly was much more adventurous. Our swing flew way out to the side and then back in again; in and out, round and round. I never really suffered from motion sickness, but I became dizzy. Holden could barely hold his head up.

But it was fun! Holden wasn't scared at all. In fact, he giggled the entire ride. I couldn't help but to laugh at him having so much fun. As we staggered off the ride a photographer from The Tennessean approached us and asked if he could get our names, etc. and consent to use the picture he'd taken of us on the ride. He wasn't sure if it would be used, but he had to have that info in order for them to do so.

The next morning, Aunt Juli called us to let us know that we were on the FRONT page of the Sunday edition of The Tennessean. The picture was large... about half of the front page. We were celebrities... at least in our own minds!

Flash forward seven years: Holden is ten. We haven't been back to the state fair since, but last Thursday we opened our mailbox to find a section of The Tennessean with a note from our neighbor. Our picture was in again! What a surprise! And it brought back a flood memories just one of them was this story.

Time has flown! Holden looks so little in this photograph. And our family has grown so much. Emeline and Owen would love the rides. Maybe it's time to schedule another trip to the fair. No demon swings this time though!