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Of Moments I Hope to Never Forget

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It is no small thing, when attending an information night for the college of your senior child’s choosing, to realize how special it is to never worry that he won’t get in, never worry that he won’t be academically ready for college-level classes, never worry that he won’t be college material.  It is no small thing to see the entrance requirements, knowing this school would be the hardest to get into, and know he exceeds them all.  
It is no small thing, looking at all the numbers and figures on the screen, taking into account the years of earning a substitute teacher’s pay to get your child qualified for eighty percent of tuition forgiveness, taking into account the sacrifices made along the way to get him academically eligible for a competitive school, to still be staring at dollar figures larger than you would like to see.
It is no small thing to talk, again, about the importance of a job, or scholarships, or grant money, and even talking about the back-up plan of student loans, to see your child’s face as he realizes, perhaps for the first time exactly the figures you’ve been talking about all this time.
It is no small thing, for a man, new to his role in this family, only months into being a parent in any capacity, to say with a catch in his throat, “Whatever it takes, Jacob, we will make this happen.  Whatever it takes, the money will be there.”  
It is no small thing at all for a grown man to realize how jealous he is of the opportunities available to this teenager that were never an option for him, and instead of feeling spiteful or bitter, offering to do everything possible to make sure that this teenage boy can seize any opportunity that comes his way.  Including attending the competitive university that he dreams of attending.
Being the mother of a child facing a world of opportunities and being the wife of a man who generously supports that boy is no small thing to be taken for granted.
Oh how I love the men in my life.

Fries with That?

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As we pulled up to the window to pay the cashier at the McDonald’s drive through, a grasshopper landed on the driver’s side of the windshield.  Before I even uttered a word, the cashier leaned out and exclaimed, “Good bait!”  She must have noted our surprised looks, as she continued on, “No, really!  You just hook them right through their spines!  The fish love ’em!”  

Um, yeah.  So a little advice with our nuggets.  Not quite what we expected, but that’s what we get for stopping for nuggets in No-Man’s Land Michigan!
Now, does anyone have a pole I can borrow?  

Beautifully Handcrafted

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Designed and crafted in Dad’s wood shop, given in love to celebrate our marriage, we are so honored to add this wine rack to our newly renovated dining room!  Thanks, Dad and Judy for such a beautiful gift!  

Garrett David Wilson

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Born this morning at 7:51am, 20″ long, 7.1lbs. Congratulations to my brother, the original Garrett, his beautiful and brave wife, Diana and the adorable big sister, Adalene!  We know that Grandma Jenny and Grandpa David blessed him before he left Heaven’s door and will watch over him his whole life through!

Worth Waiting For

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 He has this way…

…of making me laugh when I am on the verge of tears.
…of knowing just which night is the perfect night for him to take care of dinner.
…of listening as though he has nothing else he’d rather do.
…of playing with The Boy and yet still being a good step parent.
…of fixing things I thought you had to pay someone to fix.
…of making every household project end with a paint brush in my hand.
…of surprising me with his thoughtfulness.
…of making grocery shopping almost tolerable.
…of caring about my kids at school almost as much as I do.
…of playing Canasta that would make my father cringe but makes The Boy and I laugh.
…of sharing responsibilities with me like we’ve done it all our lives.
…of cooking that makes me wonder why I ever set foot in the kitchen at all.
…of finding jobs in the yard that “require” a tractor.
…of saying yes to my crazy, impulsive ideas and then making them work.
…of making the transition from bachelor to family man without regret.
…of looking the other way when the cashier rings up my sale at the greenhouse.
…of sharing his Jeep with The Boy, and giving the necessary parental lecture as well.
…of making my irrational fears be okay.
…of finding uses for a blow torch.
…of watching his favorite ball game muted so I can do grad work.
…of admitting when he was wrong without surrendering his Man Card.
…of making any food in the fridge a breakfast item.
…of hating the Yankees as much as I do.
…of routinely unclogging the bathroom drain even though it is my hair that plugged it.
…of introducing us to shows like “Duck Dynasty” and the new “Dallas”.
…of staying silent when I buy one.more.thing. for my classroom.
…of picking up dog poop, or emptying the dishwasher even though they are The Boy’s chores.
…of making an evening on the deck seem like paradise.
…of keeping rubber bands for my hair in the Jeep in case we put the top down.
…of making all of our dreams feel like genuine possibilities.
…of making me wonder how I survived all those years without DirectTV and a DVR.
…of making what was a spacious garage seem far too small for our vehicles, tools and toys.
…of making 3AM seem like a perfectly reasonable time to go to work every day.
…of making a vacation with my family sound like the best way to spend his time off.
…of adoring me that makes me feel like the luckiest woman in the world.
…of making this marriage, and this life together well worth the wait.
Happy Six-Month Anniversary to MY Mister!!!  

Convicted

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My husband just got out of prison.

(Thought I would let that line sink in.)
He actually had to go there for work.  For a man whose job is usually quite uneventful, this was a whole new twist.  At first, we thought it was odd that they would allow inmates access to knives to slaughter cattle, but the more we thought about it, we figure murderers might be quite good at killing and carving.  In any case, The Mister is glad to be back on this side of the barbed wire.  

Summer Saturday Night in America

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Four hours before the first pitch, I finished the rough draft of my grad school research paper and remarked to The Mister, “We could still make the game in Detroit if we left now.”  Twenty minutes later, a school teacher and a meat grader living The American Dream robbed their “Fun Fund” and were out the door with two freshly printed tickets in hand, psyched about watching both their favorite teams compete under the lights.

I kept tabs on the radar during the two and a half hour drive to the city, devising a backup plan just in case, but The Mister assured me we would be “just fine” and he was spot on.  A few sprinkles was all we had,  just enough to open up a pair of seats with an even better view of the field.  

Despite the fact that my team forgot to show up and play (we lost by eight runs), the game was awesome to watch.  A grand slam, a fantastic double play, some long balls into the seats, it couldn’t be beat.  The players were having a great time and so were we. An added bonus for The Mister was being there to see Max Scherzer go 11-0 to set the Tigers record and tie the MLB record.  

As though the baseball, hotdogs, roasted almonds and bag of peanuts wasn’t already a fantastic American Saturday night, the fireworks after the game perfected the evening.  We drove home with a deep appreciate for how blessed we are, savoring such an incredible, spontaneous night together.

We will head back to Detroit in September, to celebrate The Mister’s birthday at the ballpark and to close out the summer in the same way we ushered it in.  God has truly blessed America and all of us fortunate enough to call this nation home. 

For the First Time in Eight Years

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…I will have the same job next year.  I have progressed from editor, manager, substitute, computer teacher, parapro, third grade, first grade, second grade and now for the first time, I will remain in the same room, in the same building and teach the same grade level.  Not only have I obviously made a significant change in my career path, but in the middle of all of that, we relocated back to the Midwest from the East Coast.  As if that isn’t enough, I became a married woman this winter and a graduate student this spring.

So forgive me for lingering on my deck this summer.  For sitting idly with The Mister, looking out over the garden.  Allow me the first week-long vacation in Tennessee with The Boy, The Mister and our family.  Let me perfect a broccoli/cauliflower slaw, learn how to dry homegrown herbs, and discover sweet antique shops when we go Jeepin’ with the top down.  Let me play cards, drink wine, host barbecues, and throw a baseball with my husband.  Let me listen to the birds, the crickets and my teenager. 
Certainly there is still grad work to do, and a mile-long list of classroom ideas and projects to conquer.  There’s a house that could use a good cleaning and a garage sale that needs planning.  There’s money to be saved and pounds to be lost.  
But it can wait.  This time is a gift.  These are moments I need to savor.  In a year, The Boy will be gone, our talks of moving might become more sincere, our plans more future focused.  Today there is a deck and a chair.  Reflection and contentment.  Nature and peace.
Today, I am grateful.