25 years screams by in an instant. It seems like the other day, I was standing outside of a church in Versailles, Ohio nervously pacing….
The post below is from 2013…
Today is our 25th wedding anniversary. 25 years ago, today was a great day and there have been many more in between. Today is gonna be a great day, I know it and I can feel it. So, I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, every day, all day.
Thanks for stopping in….
Yesterday was our 22nd anniversary. I have known B for much longer, almost thirty years. The time has flown by. If I close my eyes, it seems like yesterday when we met, got married, and had kids. It was also my younger brother’s birthday. For a short time, we will be consecutive 51-50-49. I am the oldest, the smartest, the best looking, and the most humble, in case you didn’t know. Yesterday was also homecoming for W and it was a day full of activity finishing with a dance. Oh, the memories it brings back. It’s fall in the Midwest, again. It happens every year. The days get shorter and cooler, and the trees begin to turn and then leaves begin to fall. It happens, always.
I missed posting last week, B and O were camping last week with the Girl Scouts and W and I were all by ourselves. Like the previous weekends, it was booked – football on Friday, and again Saturday morning, errands on Saturday afternoon, and driver’s ed on Sunday. Last Saturday, I had my first drive with my new driver. He has his permit, but it was my first ride along. He’d ridden with B a couple of days before, but it was my first ride. It brought back memories of learning to drive and then, all of the dumb stuff I did after I got my license. His drive was almost flawless, and he drove well. He drove two more times with me in the passenger seat Sunday before schoolwork intervened and took over. B and O got home mid-afternoon and the Sunday afternoon routine kicked in – getting ready for the week to come.
However, it wasn’t W and his schedule or B and O being out of town that loomed over the weekend. It was family. I was worried about my step-mom, J. I had visited in June and helped her get up and running on the web with an iPad. But, I hadn’t heard from her electronically in a while, and I had been wondering. Of course, we’d talk often, but I’m not there in town. In fact, none of us, family that is, is there. Since my father passed away in July 2009, she’s been alone, except for some dear friends in the community. I got a call last Thursday evening, from a very dear friend of hers to let me know J wasn’t feeling well. I worried and looked into the possibilities of travelling to Mississippi last weekend. I decided I wasn’t needed immediately, but I do need to travel south to check up, check on her, and visit, so I booked a trip down south next weekend. I have spoken to her several times since and she sounds good, but I am still concerned. It’ll loom all week long.
Yesterday, I remembered our wedding day twenty-two years ago. I remembered it was a typical fall day in southwestern Ohio. The leaves had turned and it was cool. It was overcast and even rained a little right before the ceremony. My mom, J, and my sister-in-law got lost and were late for the ceremony. I paced outside with my brother and wondered where they were. It was long before cell phones and they showed up late, very late. All I could think of was to make a funny remark, “You’re off the Christmas card list.” and smile as they hustled into the church. My mom and J remember that moment well and my mom never misses a chance remind me that if they hadn’t been late, we would have missed the moment when the sun began to shine, streaming in to illuminate B and I as we took our vows. I was only joking and I do send a Christmas card every year. That was twenty-two years ago yesterday. It seems like just the other day.
It’s now fully mid-morning the sun is up and streaming in the front window. Ivy is lying in the sunshine on the carpet basking in the sun. B nudged me at four AM this morning and said, “I think the dog is outside.” Sure enough, I went downstairs and opened the back door and there she was – wet, soaked and cold, but fortunately, not perfumed by a skunk, again, though the residual scent of her September encounter with ‘Pepe Lapew’ was still there. She was happy to see me and I dried her off and made a bed for her of old towels before climbing back upstairs and going back to sleep.
The leaves are falling and storm blew through yesterday afternoon, just in time for homecoming pictures. I was mowing the front yard when the rain began and got soaked. I need to clean the leaves again, but that is a full-time job until the trees are bare in November. I have a stack of papers to read and grade, like I do every weekend until next June. I have at least two weeks of class to review, plan, and prepares lessons. I have yard work, laundry to fold, and so, so much more. It’s gonna be a great day, but it starts now and it when it ends, it’ll seem like yesterday. So, I had better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Today is gonna be a great day. Making the Days Count one day at a time.
What happened ‘just like yesterday’ for you?
Hi Clay, happy anniversary for last week. I’m coming up for my 24th this year as well. Here’s to many more happy years in front of you. Cheers.
Thank you, time does fly, doesn’t it? We had a wonderful weekend up by the lake, now it’s back to reality and everyday life. Congratulations on your milestone – it seems that we are the exception, rather than the norm. Have a wonderful week.
Yes, back to reality. I can relate to that after a nice camping weekend spent just with the hubby. Hope you have a great week too.
Happy 25th anniversary, Clay!
Thank you Mary…it was a wonderful day – two of them separated by 25 years and many more in between. Working to make the days ahead count. Thanks for stopping in and enjoy your weekend. Peace.
Congratulations on your 25th!!
Thanks Susie, it was a great day and it promises to be an even greater weekend. Enjoy yours, I can feel the chill of an early fall…..
Oh, congratulations. Have a great day. My ‘it was only yesterday’ moments are mainly concerned with the births of my three children. And the eldest will be 40 next ….
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WOW – I’ve been enjoying your trip to visit your daughter in South Korea. I am sure you’ve gone back in time quite a bit lately. We had a wonderful day, even if most of it was spent apart – we’ll make the weekend at the lake count! Thanks for stopping in and safe travels home. Peace.