Life is a Treasure

The sun is shining, there's not a cloud in the sky. The wind that charmed my wind chimes yesterday has died down and the temperature has come up. I've gotten in my walk, swiped some blossoms off a neighbor's tree and put them in a vase on my table. I've got laundry going and have sucked down my 3rd cup of coffee for the morning. I've cleaned out my junk mailbox, caught up on facebook and checked out craigslist.

It's just a day in the life of.

I've got no complaints, I feel content  and I am grateful for all my blessings. I am fully aware of how precious each moment of our lives is, perhaps today more than ever.

You see, today there are 2 memorials taking place. I'm not planning to attend, as I didn't really know either of them. But I do know the people who are grieving their passing so today, in my own way, I will take some time to honor their memory and hold my friends up in prayer.

One of the memorials is for the mother-in-law of a friend of mine. I met her once or twice many years ago. She lived a long vibrant life but the past couple years has been rough on the family as they watched her take that agonizing decline into dementia. And I would surmise that as much as saying good bye hurts, they are also rejoicing over her graduation to heaven.
I'm not there today my sweet friend but know I'm thinking of you and sending you hugs and prayers.

The other memorial is going to be much, much harder I am sure. This friend is saying good bye to her husband who passed away unexpectedly after brain surgery. I did not know her husband at all, except by name. And truthfully my friendship with D. is one of those kept alive only by the powers of facebook. She was a year behind me in school and we didn't hang out together but there was a short period in my life where we shared office space as we worked at our respective jobs. Being women, being wives, we shared more than office space, as over a period of months we revealed our hearts through our conversations. I know her as a sincere and gentle-hearted person  and my heart aches for her and what she is going through.
I'm not there today lovely lady, but you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Thinking about those kinds of losses makes me somber and thoughtful. I lost my dad about 8 years ago and I know the day is coming when Mom will go home too.

I don't even want to think about what life would be like if my husband was gone.

We just celebrated the 19th engage-aversary of when he proposed and every minute we have together is precious and treasured.(Yes, even when you snore and I have to elbow you honey- it's precious)


So, yes the sun is shining and there is not a cloud in the sky. I'm taking some time today to lift up those who have lost a loved one by embracing the moment and being grateful for those special people in my life.

BECAUSE LIFE IS INDEED, SWEET.

the story of us part 2

Part Two of the story of us.... you can read Part One here


That weekend at Tall Timber in 1994 was magical. I went just hoping for some fun and relaxation, never expecting to come home with such peace and joy in my heart. On Saturday of that weekend everyone was setting out to ski up to White River Falls, about a 3 mile trip. I had not planned to ski but was persuaded to join by the rest. Reluctant, because of my apprehension of falling down and looking foolish, I became even more nervous when I realized everyone had headed up the hill with out me. Everyone except...

Yes, that's right. The shaggy-blond nice guy had hung back and waited for me! Even after I had told him I was allergic to men!! Great. Now I had to worry about making intelligent conversation as well as staying upright! Yet we hadn't gone very far before I realized the conversation was actually flowing pretty easily between us. I had let down my guard and pretty soon we were laughing and having a great time! I fell once and landed pretty hard on my side. It's not easy to get back up when you are on skies and it's not easy to help someone else get up when you are skies either. So pretty much all he could do was offer encouragement as I struggled to my feet. I think the confidence in his voice was what did it. He believed I could and so, I did.

By the time we'd made it to the waterfalls I knew I'd made a friend for life. By the time the weekend was over I knew I was going to marry him. Yes, marry him! It wasn't love at first sight-- it was just a very, very strong inkling that our future was to be together.

Wrapped up in the thawing of my heart towards this very nice man was the healing that God was doing through His Word. That line out of the 23rd Psalm, He restores my soul, was still bouncing around inside me. As I pondered that line I became aware of God really speaking to me. It felt like that scripture verse was reverberating in the deepest of my being. God was speaking to me directly. God was telling me He would restore all my broken places, I just needed to give Him all the pieces.

It was the beginning of a beautiful healing process that has continued all this time. I was falling in love with Jesus in a way that was new to me. I find it fascinating that my relationship with Jesus was developing in a deeper way at the same time that a new relationship was being forged with the man who eventually would become my partner for life.

After we returned home from the weekend some surreptitious planning on my part found us carpooling to church volleyball  together and from there our first date (will save that for another post) took place. We dated for 2 years... and I was ready and waiting for us to take things to the next level!!

So.... TWO years... almost to the day, we were back at Tall Timber for another snow retreat with the church youth group. Another trek to the waterfall on skis was planned for Saturday afternoon. I was hoping this would be the setting for the question I had been longing for for some time... we'd recently moved from the If we get married stage of conversation to the When we get married, and I almost didn't go with the group to ski because I was so afraid it wouldn't happen and I wasn't sure I could gracefully handle the disappointment if he didn't propose...

a friend snapped this photo and then discreetly disappeared... moments before he popped the question...

But I wasn't disappointed. When we at last found ourselves alone, with just the sound of the mighty White River roaring over the rocks behind us, he knelt in the snow before me and produced a sweet little teddy bear from his backpack. When I saw the zipper in the tummy of the bear I knew... but when he pulled the ring out and offered it to me, then the tears of happiness began to flow.

God started something powerful that first weekend in 1994 and in 1996 He brought us another step closer to becoming the couple He intended us to be. Now, here we are 19 years later since that first weekend at camp, 17 years since he asked me to marry him.

it's been a wild, wacky, wonderful adventure together with only more wild wacky wonderful to come. Happy Engage-versary sweetheart!

the story of us

some of my favorite bloggers did some sweet 'how we met' posts last month, for Valentines Day and anniversary celebrations. I'm not copying. I have been thinking about doing a story of us for awhile now and with March 2nd being the 17th anniversary of our engagement... it just seemed like the right time to write this. 

I first met him at Tall Timber Ranch when our churches annual youth/snow retreat was taking place. He was the youth leader at his church and had a rowdy bunch of monkeys under his watchful eye. It was the first time I'd been to Tall Timber and was totally blown away by the raw beauty of this wintry wonderland.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was still married to my first husband and the meeting of this tall shaggy bachelor was barely a blip on my radar. he was just a guy with a bunch of hoodlums to take care of. I thought he seemed like a quiet, kind man and that was that.

Fast forward a few years.... by now I'd gone through an ugly divorce and was slowing trying to rebuild my life as single parent. The annual trek to Tall Timber was a welcome respite and the promise of fun, relaxation and little, if any, responsibilities, sounded too good to pass up. I signed up my then 12 year old  daughter and myself for the retreat. I thought I would play in the snow a little, read some books by the fire and maybe, even let my battered heart soak up some healing in God's country. I had no idea what letting my heart out of it's protective cage was going to lead to...

Bruce tells the funny story of how the day he saw me in the church parking lot, as we loaded up the caravans to head out, he approached me, with a twinkle in his eye and a teasing smile to ask for my permission slip to attend. Funny man. I gave him a snappy come back about my permission slip and said something about having filled out the allergy form. He asked if I was allergic to snow. Now mind you, I'd been hurt so bad in the past that I didn't trust myself, let alone some guy, no matter how nice his smile. My flippant retort was "No, I'm allergic to MEN."

Ouch. Freezer burn from the ice princess, Bruce decided to stay clear of me all weekend.

But something happened once I arrived at the camp. That stunning raw beauty of the place, being unplugged from all stress and responsibilities for a few days, and the very real and very overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong, it was impossible for me to continue to hold onto the fortress I'd so carefully constructed around my heart. Within the first 12 hours of being there I felt a release. A thawing. I think I began to understand how heavy and tiring it was to keep that wall in place. When the couple facilitating the weekend led us in a meditation of the 23rd Psalm and we got to the verse "He restores my soul" the words resounded in my heart and soul. And some healing began...

to be continued....

right where it belongs

for over a year it sat broken and forlorn in my jewelry chest.
it broke my heart-- and his-- to not be wearing it.
My finger felt bare. naked. sad.
some sort of allergic reaction -- an insect bite?-- had caused my wedding ring finger to swell
and the ring had to be cut off!!!
we had to wait for funds to get it fixed.
And there always seemed to be something else that needed the money more.
Silly things like, oh, I don't know....
car brakes and power bills, groceries and insurance??
But finally the day came where we said
this month that ring is going to get fixed!! 

it didn't make it for Valentines Day
and that's O.K.

because we celebrate a much more important date in just a couple of weeks.

Yes, our engage-aversary is coming up in March

and it feels awesome to have my wedding ring back on my finger...

right where it belongs!




coming soon.... the ridiculously romantic re-telling of one couples romp into romance... happy ending and all!

every picture tells a story

however some stories are fictional. 

it falls on the reader to decide. 

in 1996 this couple stood on this rock where he asked "The Most Important Question."

this weekend the couple gave their friends a rare re-enactment of the historical (hysterical) moment.

again, it falls upon the reader to decide what they want to read into these pictures. 

I provide these for entertainment purposes only. :)

Love is a Many Splendid Thing

and I never grow tired of it. After all, QUIXOTIC is one of favorite words.

Sixteen years ago today, at a beautiful waterfall near our favorite Christian Camp, with a teddy bear in one hand and an endearing smile on his face, my sweetheart got down on one knee and asked THE QUESTION I had been waiting to hear. Of course, I gave the RIGHT answer and everyone was HAPPY.

this morning I discovered this absolutely delightful new song/video by JJ Heller who has quickly become one of my favorite singers and I want to share this with you, dedicated to my sweetie, with mucho love. Happy Engage-aversary. 

the boat song by jj heller

taken just a few moments before we were finally alone, allowing him to ask the question! Love!!