Perfect, Part 2

This is Perfect Part 1

Thank you for all your kind words and your prayers yesterday. The secret was a huge success! I had envisioned slipping in and standing next to him as we watched the show, but I knew there could be production glitches that would call the whole thing off. Last week, I enlisted the help of our dear family friend, Frankie, who works in Mike's office. I shared the idea and asked him if he thought it too crazy. He was enthused and thought it might work, given a tidy production day. We both acknowledged that sometimes first days aren't all that tidy. The plan was to check in with Frankie around 2:00. If all was good, I'd hit the road. It's a bit more than an hour into the city from our house. 

At 11:46, my phone rang. It was Mike. I knew that they were shooting at noon. My stomach dropped and my heart leapt. I was sure something was terribly wrong. Why in the world would he call so close to "action" time? Because that's the time we exchanged our vows. He just wanted to say, "I still do."

We chatted for just a few minutes and I hung up very pleased that I was still keeping the secret.

At 2:00, I checked in with Frankie and he said there were some glitches but to come on. Patrick and I drove into the city and Paddy dropped me off at Mike's office at 3:30. Frankie met me in the lobby and helped me clear security. He explained that the glitch was pretty big and he was going to sit me in Mike's office until it was a good time to tell him I was there. I was a little bummed that I wouldn't see him, but really glad I'd enlisted Frankie's help. The last thing I wanted was to be in the way and I knew Frankie would keep me from doing that.

I sat at Mike's desk and doodled little notes and pictures on a notepad. I'm sure he'll smile when he goes to jot things today. I left yesterday's blog post up on his computer. And then, I started to get a little concerned. It was 10 minutes to air and I couldn't figure out how to work the TV on his office wall. How ironic would it be if I came all this way and missed the show? I texted home. My teenagers always help me with TV issues. No luck. So I stuck my head out the door and 'fessed up to all those TV guys that I couldn't even turn it on. After getting all tuned in, I settled in to watch the show. In his office. By myself.

But it was fine. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the show (I'd had my doubts). Frankie checked in a couple times to tell me that the glitch was unglitching, but that Mike was crucial to making sure it all went well. At the end of the show, a huge cheer went up in the ESPN wing of the ABC building. And I think I heard an audbile collective sigh of relief. It was way fun to be there for that. 

After the show was over, Frankie insisted Mike come upstairs to his office. I'm pretty sure Mike was annoyed with Frankie;-). He opened the office door, saw me sitting there, and literally did a double take. A smile slowly spread all over his face and he said, "You're here. Wow. You're here." I explained the rest of the plan, shared that we had reservations at 7 and that he had plenty of time to do all the things he had to do. If we needed to go a little later, we could do that, too. Then I curled up in the corner with my Kindle and let him do his thing.

When he was satisfied that all was well with his corner of the television world., we walked to this restaurant, a block or so from the White House. On the way, Mike said he really couldn't believe I'd done this whole thing, that I'd appeared on this day. I was quiet and he went on to elaborate. You have fear of cities (um, yeah, that whole agorophobia thing). Today was the first day of full ballet and soccer driving--everybody has something. HOW did you manage that? (With fine-tuned precision and a lot of help). You were afraid that because the 10th anniversary of 9/11 was a Sunday, the new attack would come on the next day. (You knew that? I never said that! How did you know that? But, yeah, that was the big obstacle. And then I remembered that you flew the first day planes went up ten years ago and you have said ever since then that the terrorists win if we let them make our plans for us. So I did this for you. Because you're brave. I am not.)

Fear is a thief. I've allowed it to rob me far too many times.

After dinner, we walked in front of the White House and across Lafayette Square. I noted that there is an American Craft exhibit at the Renwick Gallery and promised myself to come back soon. Mike and I chatted about art, craft, and creativity. I'm grateful for a life that allows us both to do things we genuinely love to do. We went back to the studio and turned off all the lights. We gathered up the leftovers of the Georgetown Cupcakes emblazoned with the new show's logo and took them back to our kids. 

A perfect ending to a very sweet day.

We're in this together.

Twenty-four years ago, we said "I do." Sometimes, it's hard to remember the people we were back then, the dreams we dreamed, the plans we made. We said "in sickness and in health." Boy howdy, did my new husband get more than he bargained for there--nine months of pregnancy nausea followed quickly by chemotherapy and radiation. He married a petite, long-haired girl and by the time we celebrated our third anniversary, I'd been fat and bald (and throwing up) most of our married life . He was a very good sport.

In all seriousness, he was better than a good sport. He was everything I could have ever hoped for and more than I ever imagined. He was with me at every single doctor's appointment. Every single blood draw. Every step of the way. We walked that path alone. Together. None of our friends were married yet, never mind married with a baby and cancer. Many of our friends from high school and college walked out of our life as we walked this unpaved path. Together, we found a strength in Someone bigger than we were. Together we dreamed hope. 

And we were never the same. It was never him and me again.

It was us. Together. With God.

Then the babies came. It takes a very strong man to say "yes" to every opportunity to be co-creators with God. A very strong, very faithful, very hard-working man. One after another, every two years until there were seven of them, all lined up like a staircase, each one looking very much like the next one. Seven precious souls to love and cherish and teach and drive to soccer. It was still us--but us plus them. Busy. Busy. Busy. Mike building a career. Me, holding down the fort at home. Still together, but sometimes, much more often than we liked,  just in spirit.

Two more really hard pregnancies, the second one a refresher course in life-threatening goal setting. There he was again, right beside me every time it got so scary I thought the fear would crush me. Lovely miracles, two golden haired sweethearts. They are his heart's delight. Even now, nearly three years after the second was born, I can't quite believe how generously and abundantly our good God answers our fervent prayers.

{Speaking of prayers, I have prayed for Mike every day since we were sophomores in high school. That's a crazy lot of prayers. Thirty years of daily prayers. 10,950 days worth of prayers. }

But back to those babies. Nine babies in all--nine babies to feed and clothe and educate. He has worked so hard all these years, often far away in a TV truck parked outside one stadium or another. He has spent many a night in hotel bed, trying to sleep just a couple of hours before catching the early flight home. And I've been here, trying to do all the things that need doing, trying to craft home, even when home is a lonely place without him. Together we've done the best we can. So often, he calls and he says he I wishes I were there. I believe him. I wish I were there, too. He's really good at what he does in those trucks and those studios and I wish I could come alongside him more often and watch him in action.

Early this year, we made a gut-wrenching decision. He sacrificed a huge opportunity and a long-hoped-for title and we prayed the tradeoff would be to settle down a bit at last. The whole idea was to bring him home. That hasn't quite worked out yet (though I'm assured it will very soon). He has been gone a lot since that decision, finishing up his freelance work and then working indescribably long hours  to launch a new show. The show is shot in Miami, but produced in DC. He has done his level best to be both places at once. Neither place is home.  

Today is our 24th wedding anniversary. Today, that show launches. He has a big day ahead of him. He will be working from dawn until showtime. Then, late in the afternoon, he will watch the show become what he envisioned-- in a cold studio in another city. And just like every other time, he will want to share the moment.

This time will be different.

A lot of people who love us (most of them those aforementioned babies) have come together to cover all my bases at home. God willing, when that show goes to air, and Mike is watching months of work come to fruition, he will be surprised to see me standing right beside him. 

Because, today, I can't imagine being anywhere else.

{Thanks for listening to this story. I have never surprised my husband with anything; I have a very hard time not telling him my every thought. So, the writing of this piece was therapy. I had to spill it somewhere and telling Karoline didn't seem a prudent option. So, I will set it to auto-post at a time I am quite certain he won't see it. That means that you are in on the secret, because really I'm a terrible secret keeper and I had to tell someone and you are much less likely to spill the beans than my little girls.}

Daybook: Well, hello there!

Outside My Window

Bright sunshine and then weird big thunderheads.

I am Listening to

Little girls singing to the ladybugs they found in their room.

I am Wearing

A $44 pumpkin-colored T-shirt with a little ruffle that I found at Talbot's last week for $10. It's a little too big--I should have stopped to try it on, but I was between games and I had to hurry. I'm hoping I can shrink it a little.

I am so Grateful for

a dear college friend who knows my heart and, quite out of the blue, has an uncanny knck for speaking to my soul just when I most need to be understood.

I'm Pondering

 We live in a world and a country of everyday heroes.  Moms and Dads everywhere, trying to make a better place for their children; teachers, nurses, firefighters, farmers; us normal tea drinkers and quilt makers, island lovers and laundry folders, dinner cookers and flower planters, doggie lovers, kitty petters, and never-giver-uppers . . . scientists, astronauts, artists, poets and philosophers, who do their part every day to make the world a better place to live. ♥   Many everyday heroes were lost that terrible day.  We honor their memory by keeping their dreams alive. ~Susan Branch

I am Reading

Legacy of Love: Biblical Wisdom for Parenting Teens and Young Adults.

I am Thinking

about this post and your comments. Now that we have internet and a fully functional computer, I'm looking forward to joining the conversation.

I am Creating

sewing:

some oh-so-darling patchwork tiered skirts. Mary Beth kicked off the sewing bee with skirt for Sarah, using Soul Blossoms from Amy Butler. Towards the end of the week, I was in a little slice of right-brained heaven the other day as I moved squares of Terrain fabric all over my dining room table to get just the right combinations. I thoroughly enjoyed the process and I think I might really like to quilt.

knitting:

I'm still working on last week's projects. My joints hurt a lot lately and knitting is much slower going. Re-thinking my ambitious Christmas gift "making" list and hoping I can get birthday gifts finished in time.

 

On my iPod

Karoline has maxed out all the skill levels on most of my apps. What educational apps for kids do you like?

Towards a Real Education

We have a workable plan and good schedule. That's a blessing and there is a certain peace with it. I'm adding almost daily to Serendipity, but still not publishing. Praying for the courage to do that and waiting for inspiration regarding a re-design.I know it's diffiult to navigate and I am giving that some thought--as I fold laundry and wash dishes and take walks and photograph soccer games. We shall see. There is a great deal of joy in our home during school hours these days and I want to share that with you in a meaningful and helpful way without taking anything at all from my family.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty

We've got none; at least we didn't last week. We were hit (again) by a lightning strike last weekend. It wiped out the telephone, television, and internet. While I enjoyed the relative quiet, I was disoriented--all the soccer messages were going out via email; it seems they've given up on phone calls to families because everyone has a smart phone these days. I don't. But I might have to cave and get one. And that saying about lightning not striking twice? Five times. And counting. But we've learned not to have our computers fry with the lines, so there' s that.  

Anyway, we lost the plugged-in rhythm and I did re-think the widsom of having so many of my lessons or notes stored online. Then, I hit a major thyroid bump. Oh my. The doctor called after blood work and said she was doubling the meds, but they don't kick in right away and I plummetted to rock bottom. Hit hard. The week was pretty awful healthwise and I'm only sort of functioning now, hoping that they've got the dosage right this time.

Then, after the internet access was returned, my computer itself broke, as in the entire bottom fell out. The geniuses at Apple took care of it, but it took a few days.

So there went my online presence and rhythm last week. My in real life rhythm was only slightly better. I really felt sick. It rained for days and days. Schools were closed because of flooding. Soccer schedules are crazy mixed-up and rescheduled.

Perhaps this week will be a bit more rhythmic?

I am Hoping and Praying

for the wildly successful launch of a new show on ESPN next week

for Katie Phillips

for Elizabeth deHority

for healing

 In the Garden

The mums are popping:-)!

Around the House

We're choosing paint and sketching sketches and I'm hoping to meet with a contractor this week. Big changes coming. (Well, big for us.)

 

From the Kitchen 

I fried okra yesterday for Katie. My goodness! That sure sucked up an enormous quantity of fat1There must be a more healthful way to serve okra. Have you a favorite recipe?

One of My Favorite Things

The smell of cotton steaming under my iron--the whole room, even the whole house filling with that smell while we sew. I have a thing for smells.

A Few Plans for the Week

Tomorrow is my wedding anniversary. More on that in just a little bit.

We are ramping up to a full schedule, both athletically and academically, this week--full steam ahead. Please Lord, grant me grace and strength.

MRI for Mary Beth on Tuesday. Please Lord, give us answers; the eye problems persist.

Lots of ballet.

Lots of soccer.

Picture thoughts:

  
 
gosh. it sure rained a lot.

{photos and sarah's skirt by mary beth}

Prayer for 9/11

O God of love, compassion, and healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths
and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.
We ask you in your goodness
to give eternal light and peace
to all who died here—
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and
Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on September 11, 2001.

We ask you, in your compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.
Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives
with courage and hope.

We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in
Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.
God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.

Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all.

Pope Benedict XI--Prayer at Ground Zero
New York, 20 April 2008 

{Just a note: we have been encouraged to pause and remember and pray every time we notice that the clock reads 9:11. In this way, we remember; we teach our our children to remember; and we truly will not forget.}

Intentional Weekend: Remembering