Happy Birthday Jed

Tomorrow is my husband's fifty seventh birthday.

Our oldest will be thirty three in two months.

Our younger son will be twenty seven this July.

Our youngest turns twenty four this August.

 We have literally grown, and gone, from here...

to here.

It has been quite the adventure since first meeting Tim back in 1988.

He literally asked me if I'd marry him after we had been dating for less than a month.

Instead I moved in, and we lived in sin for two years before marrying in 1990.

First we lived here.

Then we lived here.

Then life, as we had known it for well over two decades screeched to a halt.

And almost ten years later we ended up renting here for two years.

Here's the thing ...

We both lost faith in our selves, our marriage and in each other... for a minute, during the storm.

I think simply walking away crossed both of our minds, more than once.

My Momma didn't raise no quitter.

And Tim stepped up....even though it meant he had to do it a thousand miles away from home.

I met him at the airport one afternoon, on my lunch break, and saw him off on a plane for Lubbock Texas.

 He was gone almost two years.

When I look at this picture, I can see the pain in his eyes. Sometimes it brings tears to my own.

I know it was hard on him, feeling like a failure, after losing his job.

It didn't help that I lost my own shortly after.

It was a Self Pity Party Battle Royale I was determined to win.

I have a very bossy way about me.

Luckily I married the Job of Jeds.

#BibleMeetsTheClampetts

Our house was almost next to go.

Then we both took off our skirts and got in the game.

And now we live here...

So Happiest of Birthdays to my husband and friend of over thirty one years.

He actually came by his nickname of Jed because he is a man of few words, notorious for slowly shaking his head from side to side when I say something ridiculous (which is frequently) and sometimes mutters "Pitiful...just pitiful."

I've always loved you, but it's nice to be in love with you again.

You asked me to this dance of life.

Let's be the old couple behind us some day.

Happy Birthday, Partner!

And quit looking so happy with my sister. 

I'd hate for us all to end up on Springer!

It truly takes a village, and we were always fortunate enough to have one.

Here's to at least thirty more years or so.

This new 'Hello' has been awesome.

Thank You.

As I type, Timbo is snoozing away in a motel in Virginia, where he will be working all week. So his birthday and our Valentines Day will be spent apart.

We are still two of the luckiest people on this earth...

and both know it.

#Gratefulforeverybreath

Til next time...COTTON