A love note of sorts

It was well after dark on a Saturday night. Jon and I had just finished watching a Redbox movie. It was late, but not for a Saturday. We could have put on another movie, found something on TV, or, as we do many week nights, get our respective books and read for awhile. Instead, though, being that it was a rather warm January night, we decided to take a walk.

I refilled my wine glass and out we went. The Jackamo dog came along as usual and just after crossing the Grammo Bridge we heard a loud yowl. Jon flipped on the flashlight (walking with it off, he has taught me, is a much better way to enjoy a night walk), and the gray and white Randy cat was trotting up behind us asking us to wait for him. So we did.
It was a simple walk down Blue Bank Lane to Greystone and back. It was far too cloudy to see the stars--although a few were peeking through by the end of the walk. The rushing streams and creeks added a level of serenity to the night’s air. The dark of night has its own way of allowing you to see more--so much not visible by the light of day.

I sipped on my wine, holding my love’s hand, walking in the moonlight and talking of our Clan Valley dreams. 


I have a very special life. Most of what makes it so special is my husband.

I think it’s clear that I love my Mingus in the fact that I married him, but I have never spelled out many of the reasons that make him so dear to me..and why I have come to calling him “My Wonderful.”
 
Perhaps we do not have a dream house of our own (and even when we do build, it may not be ALL that we have dreamed up in our sketches), but right now we have a spacey, homey loft apartment--big enough to host friends and family to gather. Even better is that we are only a trip down the stairs to visit our dear Grammo. Not only does my Mingus go above and beyond to help Grammo with day-to-day needs (like filling her humidifier, emptying compost, burning trash, and putting her to bed), but there are some weekend mornings when he wakes before me and I find him downstairs. Not only does he help Grammo get rolling into her Saturday, but after sitting her down for breakfast, he stays and visits. I find the two of them down there laughing and carrying on. The same has happened on evenings when I get out of the shower and I find him having left the TV and wandered down for a Grammo visit instead. He does not just care for Grammo because “it’s the right thing to do,” but he thoroughly enjoys her and all her Grammo ways. 


Maybe a dream house of our own one day, but I’m so blessed to be living here now to not only get extra time for myself with Grammo, but that Jon is getting the chance to know Grammo in the special way I know and love her.

Perhaps I made my Mingus move away from his family so that I could be close to mine, but lucky for me he loves the life we are pursuing together. He loves Clan Valley as much as I do. He loves the countless possibilities it holds for him and our future together. From the care of bunnies, bees and the garden, to simply walking the game trails and knobs, he finds more and more to love about Clan Valley on a daily basis. (He also finds more and more potential in projects he would love to take on!) He loves each and every one of of my family members. If anything he wishes (like me) he could get more of them down to the Valley more often to enjoy this treasure God gave our family. He loves the open arms the Clan so readily gives to all and any, and the strength and importance of our faith. 

Perhaps we do not live very close to... well, anything... (friends, sporting events, bars, theaters, nice restaurants), but it leaves us to each other. Our schedules revolve highly around one another’s and we find pleasure in the simple ways we spend our time together. It leaves me with no doubt of his love for me when he is perfectly content to be here, stuck with me, re-watching the same movies together, tagging along to sporting events I’m covering for the paper, and cooking dinner together. 

Perhaps we could be living in Louisville, closer to lots of friends, with lots of things to do (and often) and have numerous options for career paths, but what I love most about My Wonderful is that we are both in love with the treasure trove of possibilities that Clan Valley holds for our secluded life and we are both okay with accepting the simplicity that must come with life here.
 
We finished our walk sitting in the beautiful, not nearly utilized enough, Blue Bank gazebo. Yes, perhaps things could be very different, but I count my blessings that they are not. I have no doubt God has curve balls ahead for the two of us, and I wouldn’t expect anything less, but in the quiet, still, peace that winter brings, I thank God I am exactly where I am: surrounded by love. 

My prayer is that we, and all of our family and friends, can continue pursuing God’s plan for us--not the plan for ourselves--so that I can always be this happy.

1 down, Oh-So-Many To Go!

Incredible how quickly a year passes these days. I can only imagine how quickly they will move in another 50 years.

And just like that I've been married to my wonderful Mingus for a year.

This was a snippet of the year-end video I made for my family last Christmas about the wedding (thus being primarily photos of my immediate family, but I still wanted to share). I'm unsure of whether or not YouTube let's the music play, so please tell me if is silent!

It fell on a Monday, since it was a leap year, which is less than ideal for any anniversary, let alone your very first one! But it was magnificent nonetheless.

After spending the entire week prior reminiscing of the flurry of last minute prep the week leading up to the wedding, we began our anniversary weekend with a trip to Indiana for another family member's wedding. They picked the BEST weekend...if I do say so myself!

Andrew & Jessica

We took our time driving home Sunday, taking in all of the beautiful fall colors on our drive. We stopped by Huber's Winery--always a festive, fun place this time of year--as well as a trip to Target to... wait for it.... Use wedding gift cards! Yes, we have some still unused! Being that we live so far out, we don't make regular trips to a lot of places--such as Target. While I could have used them on one of my work trips to Louisville, I didn't want to spend them without his input (or I may have come home with hots and onesies...). Lucky for us, their gift cards don't expire! We're now fully prepared to still eat hot cooked meals during winter power outages with our Coleman stove!

Last day as "newly weds" in our first year of marriage.

Monday began less than perfect with both of us feeling rather under the weather. (I'll spare you details...) He rested most of the day and I worked from home... then I had to cover volleyball district games (working from 9-9 on your anniversary isn't what anyone wants), but Mingus came with me just to have the extra time together.

We ended the night breaking into our wedding cake topper. We let it sit out all day to thaw from its year in the freezer and I have to say, after a year, it was still quite delicious! We ate it on plates of our fancy pants china we have yet to really use and also opened a bottle of Greystone Cellars wine from the wedding. We looked through our wedding album and laughed a lot.

I discovered the face-detect feature on my camera for the first time
which resulted in a mini-photo shoot during our cake part!

I love my Wonderful with all of my heart and have loved the simplicity we have shared in this past year. He always puts me first and I am continuously amazed at how life-giving he is to me yet still acts like he does so little. Life far and away in the middle of Kentucky's knobs with just the two of us playing outside, getting dirty and taking on life's daily adventures is my kind of heaven.

Lotsa Love in 2011

On top of having a wonderful first Christmas with my Hubster, love was booming for some of my nearest and dearest friends. I'm so excited for the news of a wedding in the future for three people who mean so much to me. Congratulations to them and their Christmas surprise engagements!

Emma & Andy

 A long-time running buddy from Bellarmine (although she was more of a pole vaulter I suppose...), I'm so excited for Emma! I've only met Andy a couple of times but he must be a stellar feller to keep up with the likes of Emma. She's the busiest person I know but never seems to miss out on anything from her work to organizing and managing Louisville's Girls on the Run program to simply hanging out with friends. She's an incredible person.

Russell & Krista

 A dear friend since the glory days of high school, Roose (as I like to call him) is one of the best guy friends I've ever had--always bringing a smile to my face. I think we once had a "Friends" promise to marry by age 35 (or something) if we were both single. Looks like we both "lucked" out of that one! :) I've not met Krista but no doubt she's found a guy to treat and love her like a princess.

Becky & Sam

Yes! Yes! And more YES! After nearly six years they're making it happen! Becky is one of my best friends from BU--my snuggle buddy for track meets and a roommate for 5 years. Through their undergrad to her PT doctorate and his med school, they've not wavered and now he's off to an unknown location to begin his residency and, just like the rest of his life, he doesn't want to go it alone so he asked Becky to be by his side for anything and everything!

While I'm at it... I might as well shout out to two other big engagements this year that made me oh-so-happy...

Joe & Annamarie

 #2 in The Man Clan to get hitched: Joe and Annamarie got engaged Thanksgiving weekend after over four years together...!!

Jo & MJ

And, of course, my cousin, roommate, childhood playmate and best friend Holly Jo got engaged this summer so we actually got to be engaged at the same time for a period. What special times in our lives we are getting to share!

Congratulations to all others who were blessed with wonderful love-filled events in 2011! Engagements, marriages and even just finding love! All you need is love......!

Behind the times, as usual

I'm always behind the times.

I didn't start school until I was 6.
I didn't have my first period until I was 14. (TMI...I know, sorry!)
I didn't have my first kiss until I was 15.
I didn't shave my legs until I was 17.
I didn't get my first haircut (something more than a "trim") until I was 19.
I didn't attempt dating until I was 20.
I didn't really learn how to put on makeup until I was 21.
I didn't pierce my ears until I was almost 25.

That's not to mention that I'm always behind the fashion trends by at least a year or two and I was in seven weddings (who's to say how many I attended) before I started planning my own. However, none of this ever bothers me. I have come to each of these things in my life just at the time I decided I was ready for them. (Well... I had no choice on the period thing but I'm pretty sure we'd all put that off if given the choice.) There was a time just after my Bellarmine graduation when it seemed it was wedding after wedding after wedding. Not me, though. I still couldn't find it in myself to even get into a serious relationship.

Over three years later I'm on the married bandwagon. (The right guy can turn things around quickly!) But of course that means all those "old married" folks are on to baby-makin'. Valerie, married in 2009, popped out little man #1 this past July: Samuel Jonathan and my closest high school friends (that are married) are ALL preggo right now. Beth is due for her first in only a matter of weeks. Meagan is brewing #2 and due in May. And, while she told me shortly after the wedding, Kelli has just gone public with the news of her first bun in the oven!

Brandon & Kelli with their pup Sophie in 2009.
I think Sophie will be playing second fiddle soon.

Me with Megs at my shower in Sept with her only little one,
Bella, for NOW. Bella will be a big sis soon!

Beth & Trey are due soon and very soon!
Tell me how CUTE is their little guy gonna be??

Jon & I with Brett, Valerie and Sam-Man for his Baptism!

I'm SO excited for them all, particular Kelli whom I know has had a baby on the brain for awhile. Does this make me feel behind the times? No.

Because no matter how, "behind the times" I am, I am happy and I know I'm never truly alone. Besides Jerusha (who celebrated her 10 year anniversary this year), none of my cousins have children. (Not that it couldn't happen at any moment!) And besides Valerie, none of my college-year friends have children or babes. What I think this really means is, just like the Wave of Weddings that began in 2008, the Baby Boom in my life is well underway. There are (hopefully) plenty of weddings to come and most definitely plenty of chitlins.

And if all goes as planned, the Mingus Man and I will have some solid time [years] to ourselves to figure out this marriage-in-the-middle-of-nowhere thing and save for a cozy cottage of our own design. What this Baby Boom does help with is that if our "plan" isn't on beat with the Big Man Upstairs' plan... it won't be all bad. How can babies ever be bad, right?

I really hope this post doesn't jinx me.