Another day

Jimbo's still in the hospital with a perforated colon which will require surgery in about four weeks. He has to heal first. He's had nothing but jello, broth and popsicles since Wednesday. Tonight he did get some vanilla ice cream.

Scary stuff, people. The surgeon said that the surgery will be major and I dread it so bad for him. Yeah, the English minor in me says that it should read "I dread it so badly" but I didn't want to write that.

Home isn't home with him here. Even though most of the time he's playing his bass with his headphones on and I'm clacking away at the computer, we are together. We may be in the bed with him doing a crossword puzzle and I may be reading, but we are together. And when I go to sleep at night I can reach out and touch his arm or hold his hand. I miss him being here.

I guess my anger has passed that was so very evident yesterday. I'm petrified, and anger is just part of it I guess. It's a hurdle I have to jump over and apparently I did it in record time this go around.

Looking toward tomorrow with hope that he'll get some cream soup or mashed potatoes to help build his strength.

July 2, 1977

This morning I was driving down the road and it hit me that today was July 2. I got engaged on July 2! And it was THIRTY-TWO years ago! Holy cow!

I don't remember a whole lot about the day. Jimmy was rushing around, getting ready for a jazz band performance in our town's main mall. He came into my bedroom, dropped a ring box in my lap and flew into the bathroom and started fixing his hair. (Oh, how vain he was about that beautiful blonde hair!) I remember sitting there with my heart pounding and I opened the box. There was a beautiful solitaire ring in there, white gold, and I was just shaking! I can't remember what he said, but he poked his head out of the bathroom and I said, "Well, at least come and put it on me!" He did, and we left to go to our town's 4th of July celebration.

Details of that day are blurry, but I remember showing that ring off to everybody! It's not like we hadn't talked about marriage, but this made it official! If it doesn't sound real romantic, keep in mind that Jimmy was 17 years old! LOL! No romantic dinner with candles and wine for us!

Another thing I remember is going to Guntersville to the lake where his family was having a picnic. It was either the next day or actually on the 4th. I remember his Paw Paw Eason being there and me showing him my ring. And I remember that Paw Paw asked me if I had heard that song, "Margaritaville"!

So, that's how Jimmy and I got engaged. Awesome, huh? ;)

Happy Father's Day!

Me and my "baby daddy", Jimmy! LOL!!!

Today I celebrate my wonderful husband, Jimmy. He is an excellent father to our three kids, who are now young adults. I hope he has a most enjoyable and relaxing day!

I never knew my father. He passed away when I was four months old. Everyone who knew him said he was a fine man. He was 36 years old, had been married to my mother for 15 months, and was principal of the local elementary school. He had been in WWII, serving in Patton's Third Army. He attended and graduated from the University of Alabama after returning from the war. He minored in Spanish and mother said that when they went on a vacation to Mexico he was jabbering to everyone. My daughter Rachel has a propensity for foreign languages. She must get it from him!

Even though I didn't have a father in my life, I had two grandfathers who loved me and stood in the gap. My Paw Paw Smith was a farmer and a county road crew worker. He and my Maw Maw lived on a farm and I spent countless hours there when I was young. My Grandpaw Thrasher was a retired police chief and was a contractor. He and my Grandmaw lavished me with love. My daddy was their youngest child. Just one example of how they spoiled me...I was living in Jacksonville for the summer while my mother finished up her graduate degree. I DESPISED going to summer school. I was an A student and repeating all the work I had done the previous school year was boring me to tears! I remember my grandfathers both told me that if I would go and stay just one more week, I would have a surprise waiting when I got home.

The next week I arrived home and what did I have? A shetland pony! Not just any shetland pony, but one that was brown with a white mane and tail, just like I had always wanted! Grandpaw Thrasher had bought him and my Paw Paw Smith was housing him on his farm. I remember how I loved that pony, whose name was Thunder.

Well, that's just a little bit of a blog for Father's Day. I'm going to go and spend some time with my kids' daddy now!

It was 30 years ago today...

I married my true love on this day 30 years ago. Where has the time gone? We were such kids, yet thought we were so grown. Throughout the years we've had good times and bad, but we went through them together and came out stronger. I cannot imagine life without him.

My most vivid memory from that day was how he looked at me during the wedding ceremony. And he still gives me that same, sweet look and smile today. I adore him.