Archive for April, 2013

Day 235 and Counting… Feeling The Emptiness of the Nest

Posted: April 26, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Friday, April 1, 2011

Taylor graduated from tech school yesterday.  We didn’t go down to visit, like we did when he finished basic, but it’s still kind of a big deal.  It means he’ll be leaving the US soon and heading for Korea.

Today, my wife was taken by surprise when a group from the army ran by our parking lot and it brought her to tears thinking about Taylor.  That was no April fool’s gag, it really hit her hard.  They say it’s much harder on Moms that it is on Dads and I suppose that’s true.

It’s also true that a lot of marriages struggle when the nest becomes empty.  I don’t know how much of a factor that was in our situation, but it definitely couldn’t have helped.  I’m so thankful to be where we are now.

Day 229 and Counting… City Museum: A Wonderland All Its Own

Posted: April 25, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Saturday, March 26, 2011

Today was our monthly day trip to St. Louis and we went to the City Museum for the first time.  We’ve often heard about it and people have told us to go for quite some time now, but we never did until today.

It’s unlike any place I’ve ever been and I can’t really even begin to describe it on here.  Let me just say, it’s not a museum.  At least not in any sense of the word that I’ve ever known.  It’s essentially a huge indoor playground for people of all ages in a huge old downtown building.

It’s made out of all sorts of recycled materials and found items.  It has a 10 story slide, a huge man-made cave area that you can literally get lost in, an arts and crafts area, a human hamster wheel, two bars, a vintage clothing store and I could go on and on.

On the roof, which was closed today due to weather, there are climbing areas and I’m not sure what all.  There’s also an aquarium inside that guests can visit for an additional fee.

Today, we had an unexpected snow, and we watched it from inside the museum.  It was beautiful, and it turned St. Louis into a beautiful wonderland just for the day.

Day 225 and Counting… Back To Work

Posted: April 23, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

 

We’re back at work this week and back to work on our fitness goals.  It’s less than 5 months to the Tour de Cox and our vow renewal.

We’ve been enjoying life a lot and not working out nearly as much as we should be.  It’s time to get back on our bikes in earnest.

Day 222 and Counting… Zombies, St. Patrick, and Pure Romance

Posted: April 21, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Saturday, March 19, 2011

Interesting day today, to say the least.

It was beautiful waking up together in our new loft.  Unfortunately, I had to work a long mid-shift at Macy’s today, so I didn’t get much time to enjoy it.

Ceecee stayed home and watched the St. Patrick’s Day parade from our loft windows this afternoon.  Our loft is right on the square and the parade literally passed by right underneath the window.  She called me at lunch and told me that there were zombies in the parade and that a sudden freak hail storm hit right in the middle of it.

Tonight, she hosted a Pure Romance party for our oldest daughter.  Yes, hosted.  As in, it was at our place that we just moved in to yesterday.  I guess at least one person there wouldn’t believe that we had only moved in the day before, but, as I’ve said, my wife is amazing.

Anyway, it wasn’t over yet when I got there, so I saw and heard some very interesting things when I opened the front door.  Pure Romance, is it?  We have plenty of that right now, thank you very much!

Day 221 and Counting… Moving Day!

Posted: April 19, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Friday, March 18, 2011(Day 221)

If you’re going to move, this is the way to do it.  

It’s Spring Break this week and we already brought over a lot of our clothes and much of the fragile and awkward stuff in the car yesterday.  My wife is amazing when it comes to figuring out where everything goes and getting everything unpacked and put up.  

This morning, we picked up the truck and had a few friends (who we bribed with pizza, of course) show up to help.  We had everything moved by about 11:00 when my parents showed up with pizza for everyone.  Soon after, Ceecee had everything unpacked and you truly couldn’t tell that we had just moved in that morning.  

When I took the truck back mid-afternoon, I stopped at the wine store and picked up a bottle of Champagne (as in real Champagne from France, not the fake California stuff).  I also got some strawberries, and you know where this is going….

The day Ceecee left me, when she moved into the old loft, she wanted Champagne and strawberries to celebrate with.  I didn’t understand that then, and I probably never will, but the fact that she wants to share them with me tonight, on the first night living in our new place means more than I can say.

We’re also going to take in our first opera tonight at a downtown theater about a block from our new loft.  This is the life we’ve dreamed of!

Day 220 and Counting… The Day Before Moving Day

Posted: April 16, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Thursday, March 17, 2011

What a beautiful time of restoration this is.

This morning, Ceecee and I had breakfast at Gailey’s, an old fashioned diner downtown right near our new loft.  It’s become a special place for us and symbolic of our “new” marriage.

Afterward, we went over to City Utilities to get our service turned on at the new loft.  It sounds silly, I suppose, but it turned out to be the highlight of my day.

See, when we separated, I was there in City Utilities when she got service in only her name on the old loft, the one where she lived by herself before I moved back in.  I stood by while she said she was the only one who would be living there and that there was no one else on the account.

Today, my heart nearly burst when I stood with her at the same counter and I heard her say, “my husband,” when the lady asked her if anyone else would be living in the new place.

Once we were done there, we picked up the keys to the new place and started taking a couple of car loads of fragile stuff over.  Tomorrow morning, we get the truck and do the main moving.

I don’t like moving, but this is one move I’m truly looking forward to!

Day 217 and Counting… Pi Day!

Posted: April 8, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Monday, March 14, 2011

Today, 3-14, is affectionately known among math teachers such as myself, as Pi day.  Not pie.

Pi.

As in 3.14

So anyway, it’s traditional for math teachers to eat “pie” on “Pi” day.  This year, Pi day occurred during Spring Break, so we don’t have any students to share any pie with.

Ceecee and I aren’t huge fans of pie, but we do love pizza.  And… it just so happens that pizzas are traditionally referred to as “pies,” at least within the trade.

That was all the excuse Ceecee and I needed to spend some time at Old Chicago “celebrating.”  wink, wink.

We also needed an excuse to get away from packing.  Yes, packing.  As in, we talked to the landlords of the new loft and asked if we could pay a prorated part of the current month and move in early over Spring break!

So…..it’s Spring Break and we are extremely excited about our new loft!  Packing still sucks, though, but the pizza was great!

Day 216 and Counting… Restoring the Tornado’s Date

Posted: April 6, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Sunday, March 13, 2011

My wife used to cook at Big Cedar Lodge, a world-class resort near Branson, Missouri.  I often used to sit behind the Worman Steak house, one of their top eateries, waiting for her to finish her shift at night.  Last night, we had reservations there.

Earlier in the day, we spent some time at Branson landing, a favorite hangout of ours.  It’s an outdoor mall right on the shore of Lake Taneycomo, and we’ve always enjoyed the atmosphere.  It just seems like people are usually happy there.

On a day when we were restoring the night of the tornado, and the damaging years that followed, being in a place where people are happy seemed incredibly appropriate.  We spent a few hours on the landing, then headed south toward Big Cedar.

I had not only made a reservation for a specific table, but had let them know who we were and why we were going there on that specific night.  I wasn’t necessarily expecting extra special treatment, since their service is always impeccable, but I figured it couldn’t hurt.

We had an amazing dinner, and did seem to receive some extra attention from the staff.  As we watched the sun set over the lake, we also received two complimentary Champagne flutes with the Big Cedar logo and the year inscribed on them.

We had our picture taken on the balcony outside as another keepsake before heading home.  It was a beautiful night, and just what we needed.

That’s the point of the restoration tour.  It’s not just an idea, but it’s taking specific actions to replace the old, bad memories with new, positive ones.  Instead of seeing March 12 as a traumatic day that altered our lives for the worse, we can remember March 12 as a night of celebration and beauty.

Day 215 and Counting… Remembering the Tornado

Posted: April 5, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Five years ago today, the tornado that changed our lives ripped through our house on a Sunday night outside Republic, Missouri.  We were asleep just moments before it hit, and with no sirens to warn us, we would never have known it was coming if it weren’t for God.

He woke me up and, while I didn’t hear any audible voice speaking to me, somehow I knew that a tornado was about to hit us.  I woke my wife and we crawled on the floor into the hallway, calling for our two teenage kids.

We told them to get down and we got on top of them as it sounded like the house exploded.  Suddenly, I could feel wind, rain, and swirling objects hitting my back.  In those moments, which actually were probably only a matter of seconds, I believed that I was going to die.

I had two prevailing thoughts: I hope it doesn’t hurt and I’ll never see my wife again.

Our daughter didn’t know that Taylor had woken up and was with me and she was screaming, “Where’s Taylor?”  My wife was thinking the same thing I was about whether we would die and hoping that, if we did, it would be quick and painless.  Taylor was quiet and had no outward reaction.

Almost immediately, faith began to rise up in me and I began to pray aloud and then to thank God for saving us.  My wife also began to thank Him, saying, “He saved us!” as we realized that the tornado had gone through and we were still there.  The fact that we were also now homeless was secondary to the fact that we were, miraculously, unharmed.

Little did I know then, that this event would affect our lives so deeply.  While it was a great testimony of God’s protection, I also developed PTSD and didn’t do anything to treat or take care of it, even after I was made aware of it.

I don’t know if he even knew today was the anniversary, but a friend of mine wrote to me on Facebook today asking about that house.

Tonight, we have special plans that I’ll write about next time.  Last night, Ceecee and I went to the little theater to see, “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”  It was light and fun, and we had a great time.  I’m really glad we’re finally living the life that we used to only talk about!

Day 213 and Counting… Looking Forward To Spring Break

Posted: April 1, 2013 in Love and Marriage
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Thursday, March 10, 2011

Really glad Spring break is next week!  This school year has been exhausting!

Last year,  Ceecee and I went to a resort in Branson over Spring break with Taylor and one of his friends.  It was fun, but not the way it should have been.  It was almost immediately after we got back home that our marriage fell apart and we split up.

That being the case, Spring break isn’t officially on the docket for restoration, but we certainly plan on enjoying our time off work this year a LOT more than we did last year!  Now our hearts are one, so our thoughts and desires will be on spending a lot of fun and romantic time together.  We will also be getting ready to move into our new loft, so it will be busy and we won’t be taking a trip away anywhere.