So glad I didn’t wash my hair!

Today is my sweet husband’s birthday. So happy birthday to the love of my life. Stay with me….getting to the hair part.

If I said he’s my EVERYTHING, I would not be exaggerating. Who knew so many years ago when I first met him it would be the one I end up spending my life with, sharing memories with, raising children and grandchildren with.  I certainly didn’t know. I actually thought he was annoying.  So let me explain our love story and then you will know why.

It was the summer of 1972 after my senior year in high school. Those summer days were spent on our houseboat on Caddo Lake. I had just gotten in from the lake so I had “lake” hair – dirty from being in the water. My hair was long and thick, straight, parted down the middle, you get the picture. It was the 70’s.

David was dating a girl I went to high school with. They both worked summer jobs where their fathers worked and that’s how they met.  Nancy Alexander, where the heck are you now?  Anyway, Nancy begged me to go with her to the company family skate night at a local skating rink.  Yeah, I know….skating is so lame when you’re out of high school. My excuse for not wanting to go was my hair was dirty – must stay home and wash my hair. Nancy was relentless so off I go to the skating rink. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…….

All I could think about when I got there was how quick I could leave. Didn’t know anyone except Nancy who was flitting around enjoying herself with all her work buddies. Then it happened. Nancy introduced me to David and one of his other work friends who had figured out a way to endure skate night with fellow employees – go to a bar before you go.  Let me just say I was not at all impressed. David thought he was so cute flirting with me, skating up behind and tapping me on the opposite shoulder so I would turn around the wrong way. How stupid and childish. Really?

Now here’s the part where I get stuck with my future husband. Nancy decides she wants to take a joy ride in someone’s Thunderbird which leaves me stranded. So sweet little David offered to give me a ride home.  Thankfully, he had sobered up by then and off we go.  He thought he was so cool, college guy, a guy with a brand new Montego, as in he had only had it a few days. After we pulled up in my driveway, he asked me to go on a date that next Friday.  I can’t believe I said yes, dirty hair and all, but I said yes. I got half way to my front door and realized I didn’t even know his last name. So I turned around, tapped on his car window, and said, “I don’t know your last name”, to which he replied, “That’s okay. I don’t know your’s either.”  Little did I realize his last name would one day be my last name.

Happy birthday, love.  So glad you were the one for me. So happy to be your wife for the past 37 years. Thankful I didn’t wash my hair. 

What Matters

It’s been a while since my last post about Disney and now I realize the summer has been left behind. I had good intentions to do another Disney post with a wonderful giveaway….it just didn’t happen. Does it matter? Not really.

My husband and I took a 7-day cruise to Jamaica, Cozumel and the Cayman Islands. It was a wonderful restful week. Wouldn’t it be great if I posted about our trip?  Maybe, but I think this post should be about something that really matters.

School is back in full swing for the grands. I could post photos of my 5 yr. old grandson’s first day of school and his first school bus ride.  That would be fun to talk about and share. And while this big event was important to our family, I’ll save it for another time.

All my Fall and Thanksgiving decor is everywhere in my home, inside and out. You could see great pictures of my wreaths covered in beautiful autumn colors. I love this time of year and would be excited more to share it with my followers.  But I’m going to wait on that one as well.

You see the truth is my focus has not been on the things that many times consume my world….not necessarily bad things, but things that occupy my thoughts. That’s all changed.  Let me tell you what really matters to me now.

• It matters that a little over a week ago my dear friend Teresa’s husband Jack suffered a stroke while out of town.  If you haven’t already been following Teresa’s journey on her blog, I encourage you to sit down with a cup of coffee, a box of tissue and read how her world changed in an instant. The fear and uncertainty for all that happened, and now the next phase of rehab and learning to somehow do all the many things Jack did every day for so many.  We’ve all got some big shoes to fill until he’s back in action.  But what a miracle he is!
• For the past couple of weeks my 89 yr. old mother-in-law’s health has continued to spiral down.  She’s weak, not eating, sometimes not very responsive.  But what matters is how my three sons and their wives have pulled in close to us to walk through this sadness with us. I’m overwhelmed how my boys have shown us as parents that they get what family is all about.  It matters they are taking time out of their schedules to visit her in the nursing home, to cheer her up with flowers or kisses from the great-grandchildren. It matters I think more than any of us realize. Yes, it really matters for us to hear the encouraging words from our kids telling us we have their love, their support, and how much they are depending on our strength in the days ahead. You bet it matters.
• Not only is my oldest son seeing his grandmother so frail, so sick, and possibly facing death soon, but his wife’s grandmother as well is now home with hospice just waiting to die.  Stage 4 cancer, and many other problems too numerous to mention. The bottom line is she’s dying. It’s just a matter of when.  So they wait and try to come to terms as a young married couple with two little ones to care for – how will they both grieve losing their grandmothers so close together?
• It matters very much to me that my sister Cindy survived extremely high blood pressure yesterday – we’re talking 200+ over 140+.  After a trip to the emergency room, numerous tests and lab work, she left with a prescription for blood pressure medication (which I also have to take) and will be just fine.

What matters to you today?  Are you upset because someone said something very hurtful to you?  Do you feel life is not treating you fair? Are you depressed because you can’t get that last 10 lbs. off before Christmas? Hey, don’t get crazy on me – I’m talking to myself. Now I realize none of that really matters in the big scheme of things that do matter.  I’m thankful, prayerful, humbled by all that has happened in recent days and keenly aware how God has shown me how much we all matter to him. Let’s don’t forget.