Almost a year ago.
Twelve months. Nearly three hundred and sixty-five days.
There have been holidays. New Years day and Fourth of July. Valentines day, Thanksgiving. There were little days, ordinary days. Days when everybody else in the world was going about their business. Days that became so much more for me. There was the day I told Christy I had fallen in love with her. The so many days when I fell in love with her again and again. The so many little things that still catch my breath and make these minutes and hours and days so much more.
Yeah, it’s like that.
I remember the first time Christy, me and the kids all hung out together. I was so nervous. It was the first time to see me being a dad. I didn’t know what the kids might do. I didn’t know what I might do!
I brought so many snacks. Willy and I picked out so many drinks for all of us that I could barely carry the bag. We met at the Worlds Fair Park and it was crowded with frisbee throwers, dog walkers and bike riders. We decided to go to Fort Kid. I mentioned how she was getting to see me as dad and I was a little nervous. Christy, in her usual matter of fact way, said something like, oh no I saw you being dad at that work picnic back in the fall. Just like that I felt something lift off me. She made me feel better. I played with the kids a little more freely. I laughed a little more, no a lot more.
I know Christy must have been nervous that day, too, or maybe not. I think the big kids must have been, too, or maybe not because we all laughed and ate grapes and chips or whatever I brought. It was such a good day and I fell in love with her then, too.
I remember our first date. I remember walking down the steps in the back of the Downtown Brewery to meet Christy and show her our table. I remember looking for her. There was this girl and that girl and then I saw her standing by a collumn near the front door. She was beautiful. I can show you exactly where she was standing. Then she saw me and she smiled.
She smiled.
She smiled when she saw me.
We talked so much that night. We talked about everything. We talked about this and that. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed hearing her talk. I drove home thinking about how much I wanted to see her again.
So just the other day, nearly a year after that first date, we went back to the Brewery and I asked her to marry me.
There are so many other things I keep thinking of that I want to tell you. I want to tell you how on our first few dates we just walked around downtown Knoxville, or how Eli loves to pick on her. Leo thinks every white car belongs to Christy, “Isty, Isty’s car?” is what he says when one passes by.
How do you write a post that tells about the love you’ve found? A love you didn’t think existed?
I don’t know.
I know I’m a very blessed man and God has made his face to shine upon me and my family.
Indeed.