A Love Story - Our Beginning

Since today is Valentine's Day, I thought I would post how my husband and I met.

I was 13 years old, and it was Good Friday. My church youth group was meeting at our church, and then all going to a church member's lake house for a Good Friday service. Those of us who were already at the church were playing softball while we waited for everyone else to arrive. I was on third base, waiting to run home, and noticed a friend walking up with a strange boy I had never seen. I thought to myself that he was kinda cute, then finished the ball game.

Our mutual friend introduced everyone to his best friend from high school. It was Gilbert - my unknown-to-me-at-the-time future husband! He was 16 at the time, and a sophomore in high school. He came along with us to the Good Friday service, and we got to chat and get to know each other a bit. He started attending our church the very next Sunday, and went every Sunday after that.

For the next year or so, Gilbert followed me around like a sick puppy, obviously had a crush on me, and became one of my closest friends. He eventually asked me to a dance after a high school football game. I said yes, but I was so nervous that I made myself sick. After the football game, he had to take me home. I was young and oh, so nervous!!

I think he tried to ask me out a few times after that, but my dad wouldn't let me go. Finally, his senior year of high school, he gave up and began dating someone else. He brought her to church a few times, and I quickly realized that I was very upset at this turn of events! I kept it to myself though. At least, for a while.

Gilbert was (and is) highly intelligent, and received a Congressional appointment to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. The day before he was scheduled to leave, our youth group all went to the lake. I worked up the courage to tell him, just as we were gathering up to go home, that I really liked him much more than a friend, and I was very sad to see him leave. I forget his exact words, but the gist was along the lines of - "You're telling me this NOW?!!"

Right after he left for Colorado Springs, my parents divorced and we moved to Atlanta, GA. Gilbert and I had a long-distance telephone and letter relationship for about a year, at which point I moved back to Arkansas. He was home for the summer, and we finally went on our first real date. We went to the movies to see "Romancing the Stone." That movie has had a special place in our hearts ever since!

Gilbert went back to the Air Force Academy for another year, then decided at that point that he didn't want a military life. He came home, finished his aviation degree at the university where I was beginning a music degree. Long story short, we dated for about 6 years, and were married in 1990. The rest is, as they say, history!

And that is the story of our beginning. The beginning of our ongoing love story.

Lights of Christmas

Last night, we went with my mother-in-law to a huge holiday light display. Took us about an hour to walk through it. My pictures won't do it justice, but I thought I would share anyway!

This is the entryway:

The boys in front of a blue-lit tree.                     

Golden Koi and its reflection

Pretty tree

Close-up of boys in front of blue tree

Chandeliers hanging in the trees:

 

Trees                                                                       

Arch

 

Good holiday memories

We had a great Christmas. Things began a little rocky when my husband began to feel ill on Christmas Eve, just when we were finishing up the last wrappings and getting the boys off to bed so Santa could visit. He was seriously ill, vomiting and diarrhea. My husband is pretty stoic usually, won't take an aspirin for a headache most times. He was having a rough time of it this time. I felt so bad for him. He ended up falling asleep in the recliner around 9:30 p.m. I just left him there when I went to bed around 1 a.m.

However, before he fell asleep, Gilbert had managed to hook up the big Santa gift, a Wii, to the TV in the playroom. It's a small TV, but it is perfect for the boys to play games on and not take up my living room all the time! Anyway, Gilbert got the Wii ready for action, and then wrapped each of the three remotes separately (in wrapping paper not used for any other presents) and stuck them under the tree without tags. Then he fell asleep and I finished up wrapping his presents, did the stockings, and went to bed.

Gilbert came to our bed around 5 a.m., followed by Jacob at 5:30, who wanted to know if he could get up. I told him to go back to bed and wait until at least 6:30. What do you know, he did! I could hear him and his brothers talking, but they stayed in their beds until 6:30. Then did they hit the ground running!

So, let the festivities begin! The boys began passing out presents, opening then, and having a good old time. They finally happened upon the three wrapped Wii remotes, and couldn't figure out whose presents they were because "they aren't tagged!" I suggested that since there were three identical presents, maybe - just maybe - they were intended for them! Aha! That made some sense, so they proceeded to unwrap them. Jacob got his open before his brothers and was excited at first, then confused. "A Wii remote? Why would Santa get us Wii remotes? We don't have a Wii!" I was biting my tongue to keep from laughing. They kept going on and on about how it would be a great gift, if they had a Wii. Finally, I think it sank in that this couldn't be all there was to it. Then they started looking around. One of them opened the door to the playroom, followed by his brothers close on his heels, and there it was, in all its glory. They yelled, hollered, jumped for joy, danced a jig and even hugged each other! Such wild excitement! And , of course, they set to playing immediately...and pretty much haven't stopped. It is fun to watch, and fun to play, too. Had to test it out, doncha know?!

I got a new digital camera, which I wanted but didn't expect. Gilbert didn't get my gifts wrapped because he was sick (and because he waits until the last minute - see previous entry!). He felt badly about it, but id didn't bother me. It is just nice to get the presents! Haha!

We had a great, relaxing day, playing on the Wii and just bumming around. Later that evening we went to my in-laws' for Christmas dinner, where we had good fellowship and conversation, the boys racked up on Barnes and Noble gift cards and movie passes, and where we ate some wonderful food. It is always good to be with family.

Gilbert started feeling poorly again after we got home. Part of it was exhaustion, I think. We were all tired. The boys went straight to bed when we got home, and we followed soon after. I think everyone was sleeping by 10:00! A great ending to a great day, even though Gilbert was still puny. 

Some pictures of our day:

Jacob, Matthew, Andrew

handmade glass snowflake, created by Matthew

My guys, Christmas morning

Realizing Santa brought them a Wii!!!

The Adrenalin Junkie

That is the only explanation. My husband must be an adrenalin junkie! Why else would he wait until 3 days before Christmas to BEGIN his shopping? Especially this year, when he has had more consecutive free time at home in the last three months than in the last three years? He left this morning to be out the whole day, shopping. Oh, and did I mention he is a big Scrooge when it comes to crowds, so he will most likely be in a dandy mood when he gets home! Well, I guess he is a grown man. He did this to himself (but he did it to me, too! lol) He just better not make me suffer for it when he gets home.

That said, I love the bum.

So proud!

All of my boys are taking piano lessons, and tonight was the Christmas party/recital. It was at the piano teacher's house, fairly informal, lots of party, a little bit of recital. This was the first time for Andrew and Jacob to play in front of anyone but their teacher or our family. They did so well! Didn't seem the least bit nervous! Andrew played Silent Night, and Jacob played We Wish You A Merry Christmas. Jacob was last, and the teacher had everyone sing the second time he played it. 

Matthew played also. This wasn't his first recital, but he hasn't done one in about a year, maybe more, so he was nervous. At least that is what he said. You couldn't tell it by looking at him! He had to play first, and his  piece was It Came Upon the Midnight Clear. He played beautifully!

I sang, also. It was a family affair! All we needed was Gilbert performing, and it would have been the entire family. I sang a lovely piece by Leo Sowerby titled Little Jesus, Sweetly Sleep. It is one of my favorites. I have performed it for the past two or three years at this party. The piano teacher loves it, too. She also asked me to sing a song called Old Toy Trains. I accompanied myself on the autoharp, and sang it mostly for the boys. Roger Miller wrote it, and it is a sweet, sweet song. You should look it up on google or youtube sometime and give it a listen! I hope to make a Christmas cd next year, and maybe I will put it on there. Gotta figure out copyright stuff first.

Anyway, the party was lovely, the food was great, the boys were fabulous, and we all had a wonderful time.