14 years ago today!

Well this morning my husband kissed my cheek before he left for work, and then 2 hours later, after I received a “Happy Anniversary” text from a friend, I called my man to say “Happy Anniversary” as if I remembered. Tonight we spent our anniversary at Timmy’s baseball game and Kate’s softball game. For dinner we enjoyed the fine dining of frozen pizza and ballpark hotdogs. As I hopped into bed after such a busy night I found myself reminiscing over the past 18 years. This fall it will be 18 years since a high school football player asked me to dance. I remember sitting on the bleacher in the old Springport High School gym, just batting my eyes at this guy talking to his sister sitting next to me. I remember thinking, “Seriously, look at this cutie sitting here giving you all the signs that I am going to say “yes” and all your worried about is bumming quarters off your sister for a Mountain Dew.” But he finally clued in and asked me to dance. I later found out his asking for quarters was just a stalling tactic trying muster up the courage. After that dance no other guys in the school even existed! I remember all the times he would walk me to class, and when ever he asked me to hold his varsity jacket for him, oh melt my heart! It seems like we were just kids, oh wait, we were. High school was bliss. However when he went off to college we had our own difficulties. So funny the things that are a big deal before you really know what a “big deal” is. Back then it was “boy goes to college and leaves girl in high school” ha, little did I know that “pregnant with 3rd child, morning sick and throwing up while your husband works 2 jobs, yeah, that is more of a big deal. But since I didn’t know any better, we entered a phase that it looked like we might not come out of. My whole family could feel the tension between us, and I will never forget the day my Dad called us into the living room and said. “What is wrong with you too?” We didn’t have answers so he grabbed the keys and said, “Leave this house and do not come back until you fix it! I don’t care if it takes you 3 days, don’t come home until it is fixed!” “What!!!” I thought. “He can’t do that, can he? Shouldn’t he be worried about my curfew or something.” But we left. We only made it as far as the hayfield in which we now currently live. We sat and talked for hours until we came up with a plan. And then came the day when he purposed to me in front of our whole church. Now that is a day I will never forget! And there I was, a ring on my finger and still had a month of high school left. Now I look at these high scholars with their promise ring and I think, “you are just a baby.” And yet I thought I was sooooo grown up. I look at where we began and where we are now, 4 kids later, watching them play on the very ball fields Michael played on as a boy. Today we have been married 14 years and I have to say I am so grateful for the amazing man he is. He is an amazing dad and an amazing husband. I am totally gonna get all sappy and chickflicky and say if “soul mates” are true, well I believe I have found mine!!!! He knows me better than I know myself. He loves me just the way I am and those of you who have ready my blogs, know some of what I have put him through, especially the blog, “And the lesson we can learn from all this” He is truly amazing He is my very best friend and he makes me a better person. I love the song “I have been blessed” by Martina McBride. I am very blessed and I am thankful for the years spent and look forward to the years to come.