2011, and 2009, respectively, at the OKC Zoo.One picture was from our first full day together; the other was from our last.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Two Years, Two Years Apart
2011, and 2009, respectively, at the OKC Zoo.One picture was from our first full day together; the other was from our last.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Arrivals and Departures
4:54 PM (Pacific) 9/26/2011. I had just typed out about 90% of the first Friday. Except the guy in front of me just reclined his seat (we're about a 1/2 hour away from San Diego), catching my little laptop funny and knocking out the battery, shutting it off and causing me to lose about a thousand words or so. I suppose today is just that kind of day. I had to leave my darling about a thousand miles away.
But it's the best time of my life anyway. I'm a married woman now. :)
Friday morning, September 16th, I woke about 3:45, very excited. I was very packed the night before, so getting out the door wasn't too hard. I had planned on walking to the airport, but I didn't quite leave when I wanted. And there was a taxi waiting across from the main gate... $5 to the airport?! I got right in.
I had the first flight out, and arrived before security opened. For breakfast I got McDonald's oatmeal, yogurt parfait & a sausage biscuit. They let it through security, when it finally opened. :) Fast forward through an uneventful flight to the Denver airport. Mom, Dad, Meg & Jason had my same flight to OKC! Since it was only a 1/2 hour layover, I quickly crossed the terminal to the right gate, scanning for my family. But their flight had arrived even a few minutes after mine, and I soon saw Meg and Jason running ahead of Mom and Dad. I was able to swap my aisle seat on an exit row for the seat between Mom and Dad's... who wouldn't take that deal? So I sat between Mom on my right and Meg across. Meg and I played a game of Phase 10 (and I lost), and I was altogether light-spirited. More so than I've been in a long time. Because I didn't pay attention to the safety talk, and because I was laughing with Meg, the flight attendant spoke to me as if I was 14 or so. But nothing could dampen my happiness.
Mike was on the freeway when we pulled into the gate... perfect timing. By the time the fam got their checked bag, he had parked and arrived in baggage claim. Because of the great thing we were doing, and the fact that it was different to have my family there too, I felt a little nervous when everyone met. But that was soon brushed away; everyone was friendly and very happy.
Mike and I took off to get the marriage certificate at the Cleveland County, OKC, courthouse. It was something of a generic office building, and after the security screen (wait, hadn't I just done that this morning?) we headed down a few stairs to a clerk's window and waiting area. We showed our driver's licences, raised our right hands and swore the information was correct and that we were not already married... that and $50... and we signed the certificate there. Apparently, witnesses had recently been signing in the wrong place, causing line-outs on official documents.
We had to stop to get out some cash, and we stopped by the chapel. He wanted to show it to me... and gosh! it was so beautiful! The small chamber was full of afternoon light from the five tall stained windows. A half-dozen row of chairs, six to a row, and a baby grand piano in the back filled up most of the room. A bright green kneeling cushion sat before a pedestal, which had two candles, a small polished brass cross and a giant Bible, opened to Psalm 139... which we were scheduled to read that night. It couldn't have been more perfect.
Next, it was to 416 Park Dr... my new home. I admired the new couch, and all the improvements Mike had worked so hard to get done in time. My family soon arrived, and they were introduced to Charlie and Patty, and we visited for a minute. We decided to all go look at the chapel, and after that we sat for a long while in the big sanctuary alongside. They have a massive 1920s pipe organ that fills up the entire wall in the front. There were many more stained windows that let in some delicious light as we sat, relaxed, and talked.
After deciding we'd like to leave before they threw us out, we drove a couple blocks to "Othello's" on Campus Corner. A locally owned Italian restaurant was perfect for the occasion... and it was a tradition stemming from my two earlier visits to Norman. Mike and I again had the meat lasagna. :)
We all returned to Mike's house, after the two of us went to pick up Mike's shirt and tie, for an episode of Remember WENN before saying goodnight; on a wedding theme, you guessed it, we watched "The First Mrs. Bloom". I stayed the night with my family at the Days Inn, for another tradition... we've stayed there each time! :) I had a roll-away bed and slept rather soundly. I woke up facing the full-length mirror, so that was a little surprising.
But it's the best time of my life anyway. I'm a married woman now. :)
Friday morning, September 16th, I woke about 3:45, very excited. I was very packed the night before, so getting out the door wasn't too hard. I had planned on walking to the airport, but I didn't quite leave when I wanted. And there was a taxi waiting across from the main gate... $5 to the airport?! I got right in.
I had the first flight out, and arrived before security opened. For breakfast I got McDonald's oatmeal, yogurt parfait & a sausage biscuit. They let it through security, when it finally opened. :) Fast forward through an uneventful flight to the Denver airport. Mom, Dad, Meg & Jason had my same flight to OKC! Since it was only a 1/2 hour layover, I quickly crossed the terminal to the right gate, scanning for my family. But their flight had arrived even a few minutes after mine, and I soon saw Meg and Jason running ahead of Mom and Dad. I was able to swap my aisle seat on an exit row for the seat between Mom and Dad's... who wouldn't take that deal? So I sat between Mom on my right and Meg across. Meg and I played a game of Phase 10 (and I lost), and I was altogether light-spirited. More so than I've been in a long time. Because I didn't pay attention to the safety talk, and because I was laughing with Meg, the flight attendant spoke to me as if I was 14 or so. But nothing could dampen my happiness.
Mike was on the freeway when we pulled into the gate... perfect timing. By the time the fam got their checked bag, he had parked and arrived in baggage claim. Because of the great thing we were doing, and the fact that it was different to have my family there too, I felt a little nervous when everyone met. But that was soon brushed away; everyone was friendly and very happy.
Mike and I took off to get the marriage certificate at the Cleveland County, OKC, courthouse. It was something of a generic office building, and after the security screen (wait, hadn't I just done that this morning?) we headed down a few stairs to a clerk's window and waiting area. We showed our driver's licences, raised our right hands and swore the information was correct and that we were not already married... that and $50... and we signed the certificate there. Apparently, witnesses had recently been signing in the wrong place, causing line-outs on official documents.
We had to stop to get out some cash, and we stopped by the chapel. He wanted to show it to me... and gosh! it was so beautiful! The small chamber was full of afternoon light from the five tall stained windows. A half-dozen row of chairs, six to a row, and a baby grand piano in the back filled up most of the room. A bright green kneeling cushion sat before a pedestal, which had two candles, a small polished brass cross and a giant Bible, opened to Psalm 139... which we were scheduled to read that night. It couldn't have been more perfect.
Next, it was to 416 Park Dr... my new home. I admired the new couch, and all the improvements Mike had worked so hard to get done in time. My family soon arrived, and they were introduced to Charlie and Patty, and we visited for a minute. We decided to all go look at the chapel, and after that we sat for a long while in the big sanctuary alongside. They have a massive 1920s pipe organ that fills up the entire wall in the front. There were many more stained windows that let in some delicious light as we sat, relaxed, and talked.
After deciding we'd like to leave before they threw us out, we drove a couple blocks to "Othello's" on Campus Corner. A locally owned Italian restaurant was perfect for the occasion... and it was a tradition stemming from my two earlier visits to Norman. Mike and I again had the meat lasagna. :)
We all returned to Mike's house, after the two of us went to pick up Mike's shirt and tie, for an episode of Remember WENN before saying goodnight; on a wedding theme, you guessed it, we watched "The First Mrs. Bloom". I stayed the night with my family at the Days Inn, for another tradition... we've stayed there each time! :) I had a roll-away bed and slept rather soundly. I woke up facing the full-length mirror, so that was a little surprising.
Wedding Day (Saturday, September 17)
Can I keep everything straight from this day? I'll try.
We slept in a bit, everyone finally getting up by 9:15 or so. The first plan of the day was breakfast at The Cracker Barrel, across the freeway from the Days Inn. Mike met us, picked me up and the family followed in their rental car. I was a bit scatter-brained. The words on the menu weren't making sense to me... I know I wanted eggs & pancakes... the waiter helped me figure it out. :)
We parted ways after a long breakfast. Mike had some things to get done, and Meg wanted to work on my hair after Mom finished ironing the dress she had made and brought with her. The bouquet mom made was at Mike's house... she had shipped it there earlier. I played Backgammon with Dad, and we watched a bit of college football on TV together after my hair had finally cooperated. The Washington Huskies game had just come on before it was time to go. They were losing to Nebraska in the first quarter when we turned on the channel, but they came stomping down the field to tie it while we watched. :)
Mike came by to pick me up around 2:30 - 3ish... memory is fuzzy. The family went to McFarlin Church, but Mike and I went to his house. I met his neighbors when he handed over his house key... very friendly! And very nice! They were going to look after things while we were away on the honeymoon. And then I helped him gather everything we needed for the ceremony. Judy, Dickie and Tracy (Mike's sister, brother-in-law & niece) drove up when we got back from the neighbors, but they went on to the church after saying hello.
Everything went very nicely from my point of view. Everyone took care of everything for me. :) I dressed in the sitting room of the women's restroom just around the corner from the chapel. Mom sat with me for a while, and that was very nice. Meg and Jason ran around helping and letting me know what was going on.
Since the ceremony was in his hometown, Mike had arranged everything. Tracy, his niece, is a Methodist minister, and through her we got use of this Methodist chapel at no charge. She performed the ceremony too... and took care of sending in the certificate after all was done.
Here's the transcript of the wedding that Mike wrote (mostly from a copy of Methodist wedding ceremonies):
ENTRANCE
Processional music: “O God Beyond All Praising” (Perry-Holst) [a hymn using the middle theme from Holst's Jupiter] Jen and Michael enter together as the processional plays.
We slept in a bit, everyone finally getting up by 9:15 or so. The first plan of the day was breakfast at The Cracker Barrel, across the freeway from the Days Inn. Mike met us, picked me up and the family followed in their rental car. I was a bit scatter-brained. The words on the menu weren't making sense to me... I know I wanted eggs & pancakes... the waiter helped me figure it out. :)
We parted ways after a long breakfast. Mike had some things to get done, and Meg wanted to work on my hair after Mom finished ironing the dress she had made and brought with her. The bouquet mom made was at Mike's house... she had shipped it there earlier. I played Backgammon with Dad, and we watched a bit of college football on TV together after my hair had finally cooperated. The Washington Huskies game had just come on before it was time to go. They were losing to Nebraska in the first quarter when we turned on the channel, but they came stomping down the field to tie it while we watched. :)
Mike came by to pick me up around 2:30 - 3ish... memory is fuzzy. The family went to McFarlin Church, but Mike and I went to his house. I met his neighbors when he handed over his house key... very friendly! And very nice! They were going to look after things while we were away on the honeymoon. And then I helped him gather everything we needed for the ceremony. Judy, Dickie and Tracy (Mike's sister, brother-in-law & niece) drove up when we got back from the neighbors, but they went on to the church after saying hello.
Everything went very nicely from my point of view. Everyone took care of everything for me. :) I dressed in the sitting room of the women's restroom just around the corner from the chapel. Mom sat with me for a while, and that was very nice. Meg and Jason ran around helping and letting me know what was going on.
Since the ceremony was in his hometown, Mike had arranged everything. Tracy, his niece, is a Methodist minister, and through her we got use of this Methodist chapel at no charge. She performed the ceremony too... and took care of sending in the certificate after all was done.
Here's the transcript of the wedding that Mike wrote (mostly from a copy of Methodist wedding ceremonies):
ENTRANCE
Processional music: “O God Beyond All Praising” (Perry-Holst) [a hymn using the middle theme from Holst's Jupiter] Jen and Michael enter together as the processional plays.
GREETING
Tracy to guests:Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the presence of these witnesses, to join together this man and this woman, Jennifer and Michael in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate, instituted of God, and signifying unto us the mystical union that exists between Christ and his Church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence in Cana of Galilee. It is therefore not to be entered into unadvisedly, but reverently, discreetly, and in the fear of God. Into this holy estate these two persons come now to be joined.
READING AND MUSICReading: In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote of two kinds of love that enable and support a Christian marriage:
“What we call ‘being in love’ is a glorious state and, in several ways, good for us. It helps to make us generous and courageous; it opens our eyes not only to the beauty of the beloved but to all beauty. . . . Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing. There are many things below it, but there are also things above it. You cannot make it the basis of a whole life. It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling. Knowledge can last, principles can last, habits can last; but feelings come and go. And in fact, whatever people say, the state called ‘being in love’ usually does not last. If the old fairy-tale ending ‘They lived happily ever after’ is taken to mean ‘They felt for the next fifty years exactly as they did the day before they were married,’ then it says what probably never was nor ever could be true, and would be highly undesirable if it were. Who could bear to live in that excitement for even five years? . . . But of course, ceasing to be ‘in love’ need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense – love as distinct from ‘being in love’ – is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by (in Christian marriages) the grace with which both partners ask, and receive, from God. . . . ‘Being in love’ first moved them to promise fidelity; this quieter love enables them to keep the promise. It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run; being in love was the explosion that started it.”As Jennifer and Michael unite in marriage, we honor those two loves. And we celebrate a third and greater love – the redeeming love of God, manifested through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is this love that provides the most stable foundation for a shared life. The first two loves join a man and a woman for as long as a lifetime. But we are promised this third love is unbounded and never-ending. Today we remember the words of the psalmist: “Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.”
Music: “Love Never Fails” [live performance by a university guitar student]DECLARATION BY THE MAN AND THE WOMAN
Tracy gives the following charge to Jen and Michael:I charge you both, as you stand in the presence of God, to remember that love and loyalty alone will avail as the foundation of a happy home. If the solemn vows you are about to make are kept faithfully, and if steadfastly you endeavor to do the will of your heavenly Father, your life will be full of joy, and the home you are establishing will abide in peace. No other ties are more tender, no other vows more sacred than those you now assume.
Tracy to Michael:Michael, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others keep only to her so long as you both shall live?
Michael: I will.Tracy to Jen:
Jennifer, will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others keep only to him so long as you both shall live?Jen: I will.
EXCHANGE OF VOWSTracy prompts them, line by line.
Michael to Jen:I, Michael, take you, Jennifer, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my faith.
Jen to Michael:I, Jennifer, take you, Michael, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold,
from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my faith.
Tracy, taking the rings:
The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and woman in holy matrimony, through the Church of Jesus Christ our Lord.Bless, O Lord, the giving of these rings, that they who wear them may abide in thy peace, and continue in thy favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(prompted, line by line, by Tracy):In token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love, with this ring I thee wed, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
DECLARATION OF MARRIAGETracy to guests:
Forasmuch as Jennifer and Michael have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have pledged their faith each to the other, and have declared the same by joining hands and by giving and receiving rings; I pronounce that they are husband and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Those whom God hath joined together, let no one put asunder. Amen.Jen and Michael kiss, then turn and face the guests.
Tracy to guests:May I present Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Jennifer Waters.
(Applause) (At least I hope so)...there was. :)
It was a beautiful ceremony. From there, after a little milling around, and the witnesses signing the certificate and pictures being taken, we all headed to an elegant local restaurant called "Legends" were a dozen or so of us dined wonderfully, thanks to my Mom and Dad's generosity. I had a delicious chicken dinner... can't remember exactly... and then we tasted their famous cakes for dessert. A few presents and cards were opened... and then our magical day was almost done. My family came over to the house to say goodbye, and I loved that very much. We tried to sort out my stuff from theirs as best we could, and we did pretty well. A sewing kit and my wedding shoes got left with us. :)
The Honeymoon, in MN
Thankfully, with a noon flight, we were able to sleep in a little. There was a little frantic packing, but we made it to the gate with time to spare. We saw a couple in the OKC airport terminal wearing matching "Just Married" t-shirts. Mike and I smiled... and he lamented that we hadn't done it ourselves. :) Had a breakfast of sandwiches at the airport, and that steadied us until we reached Minnesota. Mike also got a muffin... and we had that between Minneapolis and Duluth after he got a coffee. :)
Thank goodness for the direct flight! It was only an hour-and-a-half flying time. There was a little mix-up with baggage weight distribution, so we were a half-hour late taking off. For most of the flight we talked about the Beatles... :) I had gotten him the Rolling Stones special edition with commentary and pictures of all the albums and their individual tracks. And I learned a lot: of course, Paul McCartney had died and been replaced by a look-a-like. The album covers betrayed it all. lol
The Minneapolis airport is a bit of a maze. We had to take a monorail and a tram to the rental cars. And it wasn't altogether clear how to exit once we did get one. But we finally did, and my smart phone gave good directions for getting to I-35 N. We listened to music and talked, stopping once for refreshments half-way to Duluth; we killed a couple bags of Lays original kettle potato chips... I had my iced tea, and he had his caffeine-free diet Coke. We stopped again in Duluth at a Burger King/Holiday gas station around 6pm. From there we kept on Hwy 61 until arriving at my Uncle Kerry & Aunt Beth's house 20 miles north of Grand Marais. Unfortunately, the coast of Superior was enveloped in thick fog, so even if we were earlier, we still wouldn't have been able to see Gitchie-Gumee. This made our visibility next to nil on the drive at night... there was also a steady rain.
Kerry and Beth were waiting for us when we pulled in at 9:40. I was disappointed it took us so long, but it was wonderful seeing them again! They have a lovely, two-story building that has been remodeled in the north-woods fashion of my mom's side of the family. Lots of beautiful wood ceilings, and decorating to match. They still had the big figurine of the loon that I remember from Tuscarora. Beth gave us an indoor tour that night, and we talked for a while in the living room before heading off to bed. Mike and I had the entire downstairs to ourselves!
Kerry had done a lot to the outside as well (which we saw in the morning)... he built a bare-bark log railing, similar to the one in front of the dining room at Tuscarora as well. And he repaired a couple extra buildings on the property as well: the workshop and the storage shed. Kerry's retired, but they took over a small dog kennel business when they moved there. That's in a separate building behind their apple trees. :) They also have a screened porch for Abby... their pooch. Several windows face their 1/4 mile driveway which lets you look on Superior itself on a clear day.
And that morning (and all day long) was a very clear one! Bright sunshine met us as we woke, along with a type of quiche, sweet rolls and toast. Beth was at work in town, and Kerry was already walking the dogs. He laughed at our "early" morning. :) We visited for a while, I called Mom to let her know we got there alright, and then Kerry gave us a short lesson in setting up fishing poles, and what to use where. He lent us 3 lost-and-found poles from Tuscarora, as well as a fishing net, stringer, tackle box and fillet knife. I'm sure I've used one of those poles before. :)
We were soon off to Grand Marais. And we spent a little time there... skipping rocks on Superior, eating at "The Pie Place" cafe, getting a discount coat at Ben Franklin's (I had left mine on the airplane... brilliant!), and then stopping at the pharmacy and "Johnson's Foods" grocery store for our provisions. It was well into the afternoon when we started up the Gunflint. But there's only so many hours in a day! :) As you've probably seen from the Facebook album, we saw a moose walking alongside the road about 5-10 minutes into the drive. The car in front of us had suddenly very nearly stopped, and until we saw why, we were very confused. There was some forest near Tuscarora (about 50 miles up the trail from town) that had been burnt down in the big 2007 wildfire. But I was very glad to find that much was still the same.
I think we arrived at Tuscarora about 5:30ish on Monday, the 19th. It was so exciting for me to travel that long, familiar driveway again. There's a little hill in the road just before you arrive. For me, it's like seeing the sun coming up over the horizon. Andy, the new owner, was very nice! He showed us to our cabin and got us our fishing licenses and made sure we had everything we needed when we asked. It was lovely to be there again. Mike and I both heaved big sighs of relief, first from the long trip, and then also of joy, to find we'd arrived, when we were finally alone. It was as perfect place. We explored the landing and dock, then sat in the folding chairs on the porch of the cabin awhile, watching the sun go down.
That first night we had Stouffer's lasagna, garlic bread and corn for dinner. We realized that we needed the Internet code, so Mike could check FB to find out how his sister's surgery had gone (no cell reception). We went outside into the blackness of a wilderness night... thankfully I had remembered to bring flashlights. After coming back from the office with the code, we lingered outside. The Milky Way was a plume of white smoke across the top of the sky, and the stars were like shining sapphires... But Jupiter out-shone them all. Back in the cabin, and after being put at ease about his family, I introduced Mike to "The Princess Bride", mowage and all. Mike's friend Doug had sent me a message on FB on the 17th, introducing himself, congratulating me, and telling me about how he found "wove, twu wove" himself. Mike now knows what he was referencing. LOL!
Every morning Mike and I enjoyed 2 scrambled eggs and toast, sometimes with bacon, and sometimes with waffles... and on the last morning, both! The sun had practically disappeared on Tuesday morning, the 20th, and a bank of clouds had settled on us for quite a while (with some patches). We also usually started off after breakfast with a quiet sit on the porch. It was an excellent place to enjoy instant coffee and a smoke on the pipe, I hear. :) Funny how perfectly pipe tobacco and the great outdoors go together. Scott Sherwood was right.
We tried fishing off the dock, with the friendly black lab "Denali". She sat with us every time we were out there! She had greeted us when we first arrived... I was glad to learn that she belonged to Andy and Tuscarora... just the way things used to be with a big dog running around. We didn't have a set plan for dinner that night, so we decided to return to Grand Marais for dinner (ended up having pizza, soup, salad (and for me, half a sandwich) at Sven 'n Ole's. We also needed to restock on bread and milk... so it worked out well. During the thunderstorm, we watched Airplane, with a cartoon beforehand. It was my first time seeing it... hi Penelope Cominger!
Wednesday, the 21st (my one-year mark in the Navy), we tried several different places for fishing. I was determined to have at least one fish dinner, but alas, we were skunked! except for the baby bass Mike caught off the dock... All I got were snags, and lots of them. We tried Big Rock, but I got stuck twice with 2 different poles. We then got in a canoe, freed the first snag and cut the line on the second. Then we paddled over to the public access and fished there for a while. This was exciting though, because we shared the lake with a loon... and it got pretty close... within 25 yards. However, the rain started again, so we gave it up. We watched Lady and the Tramp that afternoon and had sandwiches for lunch... Mike had turkey, and I had some good Wisconsin summer sausage! How nice that was! I think we tried fishing off the dock again that evening, but it got really cold with the wind and rain... even with sitting on my hands (wish I had brought those gloves!). We had a nap on the couch before making a slap-dash dinner. Clam chowder, corn, leftover garlic bread, and we were just fine. We swapped making the movie choices, and I want to point out that The Creeping Terror (Mystery Science Theater, 3000) was Mike's choice. lol! It was such a terrible movie, the comments the guy and the robots made were so funny.
By far, our favorite day was Thursday, the 22nd. We got out fishing very soon after breakfast... and boy, were we blessed! A fifteen-inch bass on my line! It put up such a fight! Mike helped with the net and it was soon on the stringer. And a few minutes later, Mike reeled in to re-cast, only to find that a two-foot northern pike had totally swallowed the hook. I think it was more surprised than he was! They are notorious for cutting line with their many rows of razor sharp teeth. They're almost like little fresh-water sharks. But Mike had him up in a moment, and when the net held him, he did cut the line! This was not this pike's first encounter with a fisherman... he had a red fishing hook and a 1/4 inch of line protruding from his jaw.
I decided it'd be best to clean them right away; and since this was the first time in a decade, it took me a while. :) Finally, we were done and had a light lunch. I think the total weight of the meat was 4 lbs... much too much for 2 people for one night! After this, we got Andy and visited the store. It was freezing in there! There must be no heater... or an air conditioner... but we picked out our t-shirts and sweatshirts and went away happy. Watched Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) for a rest, then went for a hike on the BA Point trail. Took lots of pictures... this was one of our favorite moments.
When we got back we decided we'd like to paddle around for fun... and that's what we did: paddled around the entire lake! We saw an eagle flying near BA Point, then saw another one perched on the other side of the lake. Got out at the trail to Missing Link Lake to read a notice the Forest Service had posted. The trail to Tuscarora was temporarily closed because of an un-named hazard. It started to get dark as we neared the public access... I think it was a beaver we saw swimming and diving right around there. What a day! So tired! I fried the fish (some in breading Andy gave us, and some in butter) and Mike cooked more corn... lol... and were stuffed afterwords. The little container Mom had sent the cookies in came to good use. Put the leftover fish in it and carried it back with us when we left the next day. Mike was a darling and did most of the clean-up and dishes, as I was exhausted. We both blinked out a little during A Letter to Three Wives (1949).The stay definitely left us wanting more. We vowed we'd return some day... and that made it bearable for us to leave. We didn't have to leave until noonish, since our flight from Minneapolis to OKC wasn't until 9:30pm. I didn't want to have to rush. Kerry had given us instructions to leave the fishing gear at Beth's work in town, cutting at least an hour out of our trip. We had that huge breakfast, finishing up the eggs, waffles and bacon. It was a good bit of packing to do, but we did it and got it all. Took a final walk around, snapping even more pics. Checked out with Andy... and he even gave us a "honeymoon discount"! :) Mike let me drive out and down the Gunflint to Grand Marais. We dropped off the gear (Beth wasn't there, but they knew about it), then had a little DQ for a finishing touch on our way out of town.
We were stuck behind a slow car for a long time... but after passing it, we stopped at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park anyway. :) It was a long drive back... we stopped in Duluth for gas right before the beginning of I-35 S. And just as Kerry had said, we saw the reverse of the weekend traffic that we had seen when we were coming up north Sunday evening. Leaving on a Friday was pure genius, if I would have thought of it instead of stumbling into it when we made our plans. :)
The sun was setting when we drove through Minneapolis to the airport. We had another uneventful flight. Mike used my little laptop (so glad a brought both) to type up his paragraphs for his songs of the week. I love watching him compose... We got home just fine, but it was a late night in Norman.
Thank goodness for the direct flight! It was only an hour-and-a-half flying time. There was a little mix-up with baggage weight distribution, so we were a half-hour late taking off. For most of the flight we talked about the Beatles... :) I had gotten him the Rolling Stones special edition with commentary and pictures of all the albums and their individual tracks. And I learned a lot: of course, Paul McCartney had died and been replaced by a look-a-like. The album covers betrayed it all. lol
The Minneapolis airport is a bit of a maze. We had to take a monorail and a tram to the rental cars. And it wasn't altogether clear how to exit once we did get one. But we finally did, and my smart phone gave good directions for getting to I-35 N. We listened to music and talked, stopping once for refreshments half-way to Duluth; we killed a couple bags of Lays original kettle potato chips... I had my iced tea, and he had his caffeine-free diet Coke. We stopped again in Duluth at a Burger King/Holiday gas station around 6pm. From there we kept on Hwy 61 until arriving at my Uncle Kerry & Aunt Beth's house 20 miles north of Grand Marais. Unfortunately, the coast of Superior was enveloped in thick fog, so even if we were earlier, we still wouldn't have been able to see Gitchie-Gumee. This made our visibility next to nil on the drive at night... there was also a steady rain.
Kerry and Beth were waiting for us when we pulled in at 9:40. I was disappointed it took us so long, but it was wonderful seeing them again! They have a lovely, two-story building that has been remodeled in the north-woods fashion of my mom's side of the family. Lots of beautiful wood ceilings, and decorating to match. They still had the big figurine of the loon that I remember from Tuscarora. Beth gave us an indoor tour that night, and we talked for a while in the living room before heading off to bed. Mike and I had the entire downstairs to ourselves!
Kerry had done a lot to the outside as well (which we saw in the morning)... he built a bare-bark log railing, similar to the one in front of the dining room at Tuscarora as well. And he repaired a couple extra buildings on the property as well: the workshop and the storage shed. Kerry's retired, but they took over a small dog kennel business when they moved there. That's in a separate building behind their apple trees. :) They also have a screened porch for Abby... their pooch. Several windows face their 1/4 mile driveway which lets you look on Superior itself on a clear day.
And that morning (and all day long) was a very clear one! Bright sunshine met us as we woke, along with a type of quiche, sweet rolls and toast. Beth was at work in town, and Kerry was already walking the dogs. He laughed at our "early" morning. :) We visited for a while, I called Mom to let her know we got there alright, and then Kerry gave us a short lesson in setting up fishing poles, and what to use where. He lent us 3 lost-and-found poles from Tuscarora, as well as a fishing net, stringer, tackle box and fillet knife. I'm sure I've used one of those poles before. :)
We were soon off to Grand Marais. And we spent a little time there... skipping rocks on Superior, eating at "The Pie Place" cafe, getting a discount coat at Ben Franklin's (I had left mine on the airplane... brilliant!), and then stopping at the pharmacy and "Johnson's Foods" grocery store for our provisions. It was well into the afternoon when we started up the Gunflint. But there's only so many hours in a day! :) As you've probably seen from the Facebook album, we saw a moose walking alongside the road about 5-10 minutes into the drive. The car in front of us had suddenly very nearly stopped, and until we saw why, we were very confused. There was some forest near Tuscarora (about 50 miles up the trail from town) that had been burnt down in the big 2007 wildfire. But I was very glad to find that much was still the same.
I think we arrived at Tuscarora about 5:30ish on Monday, the 19th. It was so exciting for me to travel that long, familiar driveway again. There's a little hill in the road just before you arrive. For me, it's like seeing the sun coming up over the horizon. Andy, the new owner, was very nice! He showed us to our cabin and got us our fishing licenses and made sure we had everything we needed when we asked. It was lovely to be there again. Mike and I both heaved big sighs of relief, first from the long trip, and then also of joy, to find we'd arrived, when we were finally alone. It was as perfect place. We explored the landing and dock, then sat in the folding chairs on the porch of the cabin awhile, watching the sun go down.
That first night we had Stouffer's lasagna, garlic bread and corn for dinner. We realized that we needed the Internet code, so Mike could check FB to find out how his sister's surgery had gone (no cell reception). We went outside into the blackness of a wilderness night... thankfully I had remembered to bring flashlights. After coming back from the office with the code, we lingered outside. The Milky Way was a plume of white smoke across the top of the sky, and the stars were like shining sapphires... But Jupiter out-shone them all. Back in the cabin, and after being put at ease about his family, I introduced Mike to "The Princess Bride", mowage and all. Mike's friend Doug had sent me a message on FB on the 17th, introducing himself, congratulating me, and telling me about how he found "wove, twu wove" himself. Mike now knows what he was referencing. LOL!
Every morning Mike and I enjoyed 2 scrambled eggs and toast, sometimes with bacon, and sometimes with waffles... and on the last morning, both! The sun had practically disappeared on Tuesday morning, the 20th, and a bank of clouds had settled on us for quite a while (with some patches). We also usually started off after breakfast with a quiet sit on the porch. It was an excellent place to enjoy instant coffee and a smoke on the pipe, I hear. :) Funny how perfectly pipe tobacco and the great outdoors go together. Scott Sherwood was right.
We tried fishing off the dock, with the friendly black lab "Denali". She sat with us every time we were out there! She had greeted us when we first arrived... I was glad to learn that she belonged to Andy and Tuscarora... just the way things used to be with a big dog running around. We didn't have a set plan for dinner that night, so we decided to return to Grand Marais for dinner (ended up having pizza, soup, salad (and for me, half a sandwich) at Sven 'n Ole's. We also needed to restock on bread and milk... so it worked out well. During the thunderstorm, we watched Airplane, with a cartoon beforehand. It was my first time seeing it... hi Penelope Cominger!
Wednesday, the 21st (my one-year mark in the Navy), we tried several different places for fishing. I was determined to have at least one fish dinner, but alas, we were skunked! except for the baby bass Mike caught off the dock... All I got were snags, and lots of them. We tried Big Rock, but I got stuck twice with 2 different poles. We then got in a canoe, freed the first snag and cut the line on the second. Then we paddled over to the public access and fished there for a while. This was exciting though, because we shared the lake with a loon... and it got pretty close... within 25 yards. However, the rain started again, so we gave it up. We watched Lady and the Tramp that afternoon and had sandwiches for lunch... Mike had turkey, and I had some good Wisconsin summer sausage! How nice that was! I think we tried fishing off the dock again that evening, but it got really cold with the wind and rain... even with sitting on my hands (wish I had brought those gloves!). We had a nap on the couch before making a slap-dash dinner. Clam chowder, corn, leftover garlic bread, and we were just fine. We swapped making the movie choices, and I want to point out that The Creeping Terror (Mystery Science Theater, 3000) was Mike's choice. lol! It was such a terrible movie, the comments the guy and the robots made were so funny.
By far, our favorite day was Thursday, the 22nd. We got out fishing very soon after breakfast... and boy, were we blessed! A fifteen-inch bass on my line! It put up such a fight! Mike helped with the net and it was soon on the stringer. And a few minutes later, Mike reeled in to re-cast, only to find that a two-foot northern pike had totally swallowed the hook. I think it was more surprised than he was! They are notorious for cutting line with their many rows of razor sharp teeth. They're almost like little fresh-water sharks. But Mike had him up in a moment, and when the net held him, he did cut the line! This was not this pike's first encounter with a fisherman... he had a red fishing hook and a 1/4 inch of line protruding from his jaw.
I decided it'd be best to clean them right away; and since this was the first time in a decade, it took me a while. :) Finally, we were done and had a light lunch. I think the total weight of the meat was 4 lbs... much too much for 2 people for one night! After this, we got Andy and visited the store. It was freezing in there! There must be no heater... or an air conditioner... but we picked out our t-shirts and sweatshirts and went away happy. Watched Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) for a rest, then went for a hike on the BA Point trail. Took lots of pictures... this was one of our favorite moments.
When we got back we decided we'd like to paddle around for fun... and that's what we did: paddled around the entire lake! We saw an eagle flying near BA Point, then saw another one perched on the other side of the lake. Got out at the trail to Missing Link Lake to read a notice the Forest Service had posted. The trail to Tuscarora was temporarily closed because of an un-named hazard. It started to get dark as we neared the public access... I think it was a beaver we saw swimming and diving right around there. What a day! So tired! I fried the fish (some in breading Andy gave us, and some in butter) and Mike cooked more corn... lol... and were stuffed afterwords. The little container Mom had sent the cookies in came to good use. Put the leftover fish in it and carried it back with us when we left the next day. Mike was a darling and did most of the clean-up and dishes, as I was exhausted. We both blinked out a little during A Letter to Three Wives (1949).The stay definitely left us wanting more. We vowed we'd return some day... and that made it bearable for us to leave. We didn't have to leave until noonish, since our flight from Minneapolis to OKC wasn't until 9:30pm. I didn't want to have to rush. Kerry had given us instructions to leave the fishing gear at Beth's work in town, cutting at least an hour out of our trip. We had that huge breakfast, finishing up the eggs, waffles and bacon. It was a good bit of packing to do, but we did it and got it all. Took a final walk around, snapping even more pics. Checked out with Andy... and he even gave us a "honeymoon discount"! :) Mike let me drive out and down the Gunflint to Grand Marais. We dropped off the gear (Beth wasn't there, but they knew about it), then had a little DQ for a finishing touch on our way out of town.
We were stuck behind a slow car for a long time... but after passing it, we stopped at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park anyway. :) It was a long drive back... we stopped in Duluth for gas right before the beginning of I-35 S. And just as Kerry had said, we saw the reverse of the weekend traffic that we had seen when we were coming up north Sunday evening. Leaving on a Friday was pure genius, if I would have thought of it instead of stumbling into it when we made our plans. :)
The sun was setting when we drove through Minneapolis to the airport. We had another uneventful flight. Mike used my little laptop (so glad a brought both) to type up his paragraphs for his songs of the week. I love watching him compose... We got home just fine, but it was a late night in Norman.
Our Bonus Weekend Together
We slept in on Saturday morning, as anyone would after driving 6 hours and flying 2.
Mike introduced me to "Jimmy Egg", a breakfast chain in those parts. Although crowded with Sooner fans (this was gameday), it was very fun, and delicious; I had oatmeal, pancakes and eggs, of course. And after this, we drove over to the Oklahoma State Fair, in Oklahoma City. I was curious how Oklahoma would compare to the things I've seen in Washington and California; Mike had always spoken pretty highly of it, and he has been going every year for quite a while. I've been interested to see it with him for a couple years now.
It did not disappoint... at all! It's a bit smaller than the one's I've seen, but that, in no way, detracted from the experience. We crossed the fairgrounds first, and ended up watching a "history of frontier Oklahoma" show. They had a prancing Indian paint, cowboys and longhorn steer, a pair of performing oxen, three women trick riders, a 13 yr old boy riding a pair of white horses over a jump and around fire while standing up, like Toby Tyler. a professional lasso-twirler, and as a finale, a pair of American Bison who were taught to climb on top of their giant trailer! There were a couple performers we could have done without, like the cloggers or the poor excuse for a comedian group, but they had their moments too.
We checked out all the buildings... lots of the usual shops. Always fun to browse. And there were the annual Indian flute players that Mike has always mentioned. We heard them a lot as we walked between the various buildings.
Goodness! I've nearly forgotten to mention the duck races! It was a small enclosure, with a pool made out of a large, heavy-duty, blue tarp, some PBC pipe, and some chicken wire. They had a few dozen ducks... and the public was allowed to feed them prior to the show; that was in a separate pen from the pool. When it started, all the ducks were run from the pen on one end to the cage on the other side where the owners would pick the ducks from. Once I realized they picked people from the audience to do the actual racing, I had my hand ready to shoot up when they asked. I was indeed selected, and my duck won it's heat. All I had to do was hold onto the duck and drop it into one end of a 5-foot racing lane with four other contenders when the owner gave the signal. My duck was fastest! So I got to wait through four more heats before there was a championship. I didn't get the grand prize, but that was just fine with me... a little kid won it! My prize for the first win was a duck whistle... lol. Really, all I wanted to do was be able to hold a duck. :)
The animal building had much fewer animals than I'm used to seeing at a fair, but they had baby chicks... and that made up the difference! Fewer might be better though... we saw bunnies, sheep, goats, alpacas, chickens, and even a butterfly in the same building! And there was a covered petting paddock for lots of different animals; and in there we bought little cups of grain to feed the animals ourselves! On the other side of this was the camel rides! Mike and I rode one together! We both remember riding elephants at the circus in our childhoods... and it was very like that.
As for eating, they had most of the usual stuff. We each got lemonades, and Mike had his usual funnel cake.
The main attraction of the fair, by far, was the sea lion show. They had three sea lions... one retired from performing, one veteran, and one in training. They were so smart! Especially the veteran! Catching rings, playing basketball, and standing on one flipper! I loved it very much!
After this we went and listened to a blues band called "The 411". Mike said they were playing '60s classics... sounded great to me. We left when they transitioned into the '70s. :) We took a ride on the gondola thing that slowly arced over the park. Mike rode it for the first time last year when I was in boot camp, so it was very special for us to be doing it together.
On the way back to Norman, we had dinner at Red Lobster and both had their "endless shrimp"... shrimp linguine, scampi, sweet & spicy, with Parmesan, and breaded with marinara sauce. Yum!!! We were able to chat a little bit back at his house, then we watched that photography film about Jim Brandenburg in the north woods. It was a revisiting of our honeymoon! :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday morning we went to Mike's church and he introduced me to his friends :) It was lovely to see where he goes, see what he does, and to meet those folks; not to mention worship the Lord with him. :) I liked it very much. They were starting a series on practical love. Beforehand they played older love songs instead of the usual contemporary worship music... and we felt right at home.
Then it was brunch at La Baguette, the favorite bakery/cafe. We had a quiche together before our omelets and toast. We stopped by the local art museum (for free) and saw our favorite painting of the girl by the river, then went to the zoo again... it's tradition! I loved seeing the baby elephant. It was throwing dirt on it's back as we looked on. Also went for a paddle boat ride on the pond and saw a pretty white crane, a few ducks and turtles. It really is a lovely zoo... we got another picture at the gorilla statue too. On the way home, Mike mentioned about how FFH was supposed to be playing that evening in a Baptist church nearby... we checked it out, but unfortunately, it was cancelled due to one of their members being sick. Stopped by Braums for some milk and ice cream... I had a burger first... then we got home and watched His Girl Friday for some laughs. When it was over, we thought we'd like dinner, so Mike took me to his favorite Chinese buffet. It was the best I'd ever had... even crab legs and shrimp! And egg drop soup! Mmm.
Everything went by way too fast. Monday morning I packed... Mike made me breakfast there, then we deposited the checks and got my name put on his bank account... and still had time to come back and watch one more episode of WENN before the fateful trip to the airport.
I've never left him without shedding tears, and this was no exception. We did have a second goodbye after drying them... this time with laughs instead... and that was good. :)
Mike introduced me to "Jimmy Egg", a breakfast chain in those parts. Although crowded with Sooner fans (this was gameday), it was very fun, and delicious; I had oatmeal, pancakes and eggs, of course. And after this, we drove over to the Oklahoma State Fair, in Oklahoma City. I was curious how Oklahoma would compare to the things I've seen in Washington and California; Mike had always spoken pretty highly of it, and he has been going every year for quite a while. I've been interested to see it with him for a couple years now.
It did not disappoint... at all! It's a bit smaller than the one's I've seen, but that, in no way, detracted from the experience. We crossed the fairgrounds first, and ended up watching a "history of frontier Oklahoma" show. They had a prancing Indian paint, cowboys and longhorn steer, a pair of performing oxen, three women trick riders, a 13 yr old boy riding a pair of white horses over a jump and around fire while standing up, like Toby Tyler. a professional lasso-twirler, and as a finale, a pair of American Bison who were taught to climb on top of their giant trailer! There were a couple performers we could have done without, like the cloggers or the poor excuse for a comedian group, but they had their moments too.
We checked out all the buildings... lots of the usual shops. Always fun to browse. And there were the annual Indian flute players that Mike has always mentioned. We heard them a lot as we walked between the various buildings.
Goodness! I've nearly forgotten to mention the duck races! It was a small enclosure, with a pool made out of a large, heavy-duty, blue tarp, some PBC pipe, and some chicken wire. They had a few dozen ducks... and the public was allowed to feed them prior to the show; that was in a separate pen from the pool. When it started, all the ducks were run from the pen on one end to the cage on the other side where the owners would pick the ducks from. Once I realized they picked people from the audience to do the actual racing, I had my hand ready to shoot up when they asked. I was indeed selected, and my duck won it's heat. All I had to do was hold onto the duck and drop it into one end of a 5-foot racing lane with four other contenders when the owner gave the signal. My duck was fastest! So I got to wait through four more heats before there was a championship. I didn't get the grand prize, but that was just fine with me... a little kid won it! My prize for the first win was a duck whistle... lol. Really, all I wanted to do was be able to hold a duck. :)
The animal building had much fewer animals than I'm used to seeing at a fair, but they had baby chicks... and that made up the difference! Fewer might be better though... we saw bunnies, sheep, goats, alpacas, chickens, and even a butterfly in the same building! And there was a covered petting paddock for lots of different animals; and in there we bought little cups of grain to feed the animals ourselves! On the other side of this was the camel rides! Mike and I rode one together! We both remember riding elephants at the circus in our childhoods... and it was very like that.
As for eating, they had most of the usual stuff. We each got lemonades, and Mike had his usual funnel cake.
The main attraction of the fair, by far, was the sea lion show. They had three sea lions... one retired from performing, one veteran, and one in training. They were so smart! Especially the veteran! Catching rings, playing basketball, and standing on one flipper! I loved it very much!
After this we went and listened to a blues band called "The 411". Mike said they were playing '60s classics... sounded great to me. We left when they transitioned into the '70s. :) We took a ride on the gondola thing that slowly arced over the park. Mike rode it for the first time last year when I was in boot camp, so it was very special for us to be doing it together.
On the way back to Norman, we had dinner at Red Lobster and both had their "endless shrimp"... shrimp linguine, scampi, sweet & spicy, with Parmesan, and breaded with marinara sauce. Yum!!! We were able to chat a little bit back at his house, then we watched that photography film about Jim Brandenburg in the north woods. It was a revisiting of our honeymoon! :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday morning we went to Mike's church and he introduced me to his friends :) It was lovely to see where he goes, see what he does, and to meet those folks; not to mention worship the Lord with him. :) I liked it very much. They were starting a series on practical love. Beforehand they played older love songs instead of the usual contemporary worship music... and we felt right at home.
Then it was brunch at La Baguette, the favorite bakery/cafe. We had a quiche together before our omelets and toast. We stopped by the local art museum (for free) and saw our favorite painting of the girl by the river, then went to the zoo again... it's tradition! I loved seeing the baby elephant. It was throwing dirt on it's back as we looked on. Also went for a paddle boat ride on the pond and saw a pretty white crane, a few ducks and turtles. It really is a lovely zoo... we got another picture at the gorilla statue too. On the way home, Mike mentioned about how FFH was supposed to be playing that evening in a Baptist church nearby... we checked it out, but unfortunately, it was cancelled due to one of their members being sick. Stopped by Braums for some milk and ice cream... I had a burger first... then we got home and watched His Girl Friday for some laughs. When it was over, we thought we'd like dinner, so Mike took me to his favorite Chinese buffet. It was the best I'd ever had... even crab legs and shrimp! And egg drop soup! Mmm.
Everything went by way too fast. Monday morning I packed... Mike made me breakfast there, then we deposited the checks and got my name put on his bank account... and still had time to come back and watch one more episode of WENN before the fateful trip to the airport.
I've never left him without shedding tears, and this was no exception. We did have a second goodbye after drying them... this time with laughs instead... and that was good. :)
Saturday, September 10, 2011
How We Got to This Point
We first met on June 21, 2008... in a chat room. We were both fans of Remember WENN, and because of it, both friends of Linda & James Young and Rodney Walker. Mike had been chatting with them for years, and I had met them the previous week at a live performance of the TV show in Owensboro, Kentucky, written by the show's creator, Rupert Holmes. It was because of Linda that I knew about it in the first place!
By the second week of chatting, we started staying on longer than the others (they were on EST)... and found out that we had many things in common. Love of history (WWII, the 1930's), dogs, America, our various university football teams, love of baseball, classic movies, a disdain for fake Christianity... and even common experiences: a falling out with previous best friends, trouble with knees, people misunderstanding us in similar ways. Oddly enough, I had even visited his hometown of Norman two years before when I was in the UW Husky Band... it was a football game against Mike's Sooners... and we lost. But I remember it as one of my favorite band trips.
The day before Easter, 2009, we spoke for the first time. I gave him my phone number while chatting late into the night. It was my sister who suggested that we could drive out to meet him that August after visiting our grandparents in NC; so I found his number online, and hesitantly called him to set it up. Funny how we were both slightly nervous when calling each other. It's not every day you call your best friend for the first time. :)
The first meeting occurred late on Sunday, August 9th, 2009. Meg and I stayed at a motel, and visited with him until the 11th, leaving the morning of the 12th. He kissed me Monday night while we watched the thunderstorm in the distance... and that brought on our first serious conversation about the Lord.
We kept talking on the phone after Saturday chats... sometimes into the wee, wee small hours of the morning. We were soon talking both Saturday and Wednesday nights to spread it out a little. And I think we both wanted more. :)
The next August, 2010, we drove out to visit again, this time with Jason, my new brother-in-law, and we drove from Seattle to Norman, and back again. This was for 4 days, and felt fantastic. We went to the zoo again, visited his family, and cooked dinner together once. Another long talk on the way back from Lawton and again the last night.
Before I left for the Navy the end of the next month, we had a record-breaking 8-hour phone conversation about the future... and everything under the sun. :)
And on September 21, 2010, our relationship was cut off severely. I was in boot camp; no phones, no Internet. He wrote me a letter every single day, telling me tidbits about his life and silly things he found on the Internet. Mid-way through, in October, after reading Mere Christianity and making his way through the New Testament for the first time, he gave himself to Christ again. He was able to tell me over the phone when we were allowed a short time once, due to good performance.
He drove up to Great Lakes for the graduation, meeting my family and rushing to be the first one to hug me after Liberty Call was sounded. We were able to spend a wonderful weekend together with my family, and even had a couple hours alone together Sunday evening.
For Christmas, he flew up to Seattle to spend 8 days with me at home. He stayed downstairs, and we had wonderful days. We got engaged the day after he arrived, Wednesday, the 22nd, at a small park in Bothell as the sun went down. Unbeknownst to me, he had looked at rings before he came, and on the 23rd, we picked one out at the local jewelers. We had a romantic dinner at the downtown Ivar's on the 26th, and visited the top of the Space Needle. Our planes left at nearly the same time the next day, so we were able to say our goodbyes at his gate.
He's visited me twice in San Diego... the week before my birthday in March, and again in the beginning of June, both times for long weekends. It is ever clear to us how we cannot wait to be married... And now it is upon us! :)
Everything about Mike and I has felt like it has been ordained; as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Funny, since both of us have been very non-assuming about getting married (in general) in the past. :)
We are to be married in exactly a week at McFarlin Methodist Church in the chapel (a block away from his house) with family and a few of his friends. My parents and sister and brother-in-law are flying down to attend... my mom made my dress for me (we decided on the pattern when I visited home for Memorial Day, and I tried it on when I visited for two weeks in August), and she also constructed the bouquet. Pictures will be taken, and shared here and on Facebook. Also in mind is a reception/renewal of vows sometime soon in Seattle so we can share with more of my family and my friends.
At this point, while I am at the training command in San Diego, we plan to live apart. He is trying to orchestrate a plan for working remotely part of next year, so we can live together as much as we can. We think it best if he is able to keep his job (of over 20 years) and do it from a distance. Lately, most of his work is via email anyway, and the University has sounded positive about it so far. Let it be so, Lord!
By the second week of chatting, we started staying on longer than the others (they were on EST)... and found out that we had many things in common. Love of history (WWII, the 1930's), dogs, America, our various university football teams, love of baseball, classic movies, a disdain for fake Christianity... and even common experiences: a falling out with previous best friends, trouble with knees, people misunderstanding us in similar ways. Oddly enough, I had even visited his hometown of Norman two years before when I was in the UW Husky Band... it was a football game against Mike's Sooners... and we lost. But I remember it as one of my favorite band trips.
The day before Easter, 2009, we spoke for the first time. I gave him my phone number while chatting late into the night. It was my sister who suggested that we could drive out to meet him that August after visiting our grandparents in NC; so I found his number online, and hesitantly called him to set it up. Funny how we were both slightly nervous when calling each other. It's not every day you call your best friend for the first time. :)
The first meeting occurred late on Sunday, August 9th, 2009. Meg and I stayed at a motel, and visited with him until the 11th, leaving the morning of the 12th. He kissed me Monday night while we watched the thunderstorm in the distance... and that brought on our first serious conversation about the Lord.
We kept talking on the phone after Saturday chats... sometimes into the wee, wee small hours of the morning. We were soon talking both Saturday and Wednesday nights to spread it out a little. And I think we both wanted more. :)
The next August, 2010, we drove out to visit again, this time with Jason, my new brother-in-law, and we drove from Seattle to Norman, and back again. This was for 4 days, and felt fantastic. We went to the zoo again, visited his family, and cooked dinner together once. Another long talk on the way back from Lawton and again the last night.
Before I left for the Navy the end of the next month, we had a record-breaking 8-hour phone conversation about the future... and everything under the sun. :)
And on September 21, 2010, our relationship was cut off severely. I was in boot camp; no phones, no Internet. He wrote me a letter every single day, telling me tidbits about his life and silly things he found on the Internet. Mid-way through, in October, after reading Mere Christianity and making his way through the New Testament for the first time, he gave himself to Christ again. He was able to tell me over the phone when we were allowed a short time once, due to good performance.
He drove up to Great Lakes for the graduation, meeting my family and rushing to be the first one to hug me after Liberty Call was sounded. We were able to spend a wonderful weekend together with my family, and even had a couple hours alone together Sunday evening.
For Christmas, he flew up to Seattle to spend 8 days with me at home. He stayed downstairs, and we had wonderful days. We got engaged the day after he arrived, Wednesday, the 22nd, at a small park in Bothell as the sun went down. Unbeknownst to me, he had looked at rings before he came, and on the 23rd, we picked one out at the local jewelers. We had a romantic dinner at the downtown Ivar's on the 26th, and visited the top of the Space Needle. Our planes left at nearly the same time the next day, so we were able to say our goodbyes at his gate.
He's visited me twice in San Diego... the week before my birthday in March, and again in the beginning of June, both times for long weekends. It is ever clear to us how we cannot wait to be married... And now it is upon us! :)
Everything about Mike and I has felt like it has been ordained; as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Funny, since both of us have been very non-assuming about getting married (in general) in the past. :)
We are to be married in exactly a week at McFarlin Methodist Church in the chapel (a block away from his house) with family and a few of his friends. My parents and sister and brother-in-law are flying down to attend... my mom made my dress for me (we decided on the pattern when I visited home for Memorial Day, and I tried it on when I visited for two weeks in August), and she also constructed the bouquet. Pictures will be taken, and shared here and on Facebook. Also in mind is a reception/renewal of vows sometime soon in Seattle so we can share with more of my family and my friends.
At this point, while I am at the training command in San Diego, we plan to live apart. He is trying to orchestrate a plan for working remotely part of next year, so we can live together as much as we can. We think it best if he is able to keep his job (of over 20 years) and do it from a distance. Lately, most of his work is via email anyway, and the University has sounded positive about it so far. Let it be so, Lord!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)