The Rock

Rocks are solid, firm, quiet..

 a foundation for others. 

And that would be Chuck.

  He's the rock of this family. 

I'd like to think I knew that when I met him, fell in love
 and committed to forever with him. 

 But I know now I never could have known what a foundation
 he would be for me and our future children.
 I do remember thinking he was the nicest guy, so calm and he

 had a college education with a good job. 
He was different than most of the guys I knew...
as I did a lot of shopping for my future husband
 in disco and country western bars. 

I mean, it was the late 70's and early 80's. 
Single and living in a big city ... rowdy places, music blaring,

 dancing the night away on the dance floor. 

And while Chuck was cute and nice, he was...is... the silent type.

And it took me awhile to notice who he really was...is.

This one was a friend first...introduced by a high school friend when they came to town.

 He was quiet.  Have I mentioned he was quiet?  I mostly ignored him for 4 years 

in a circle of friends that got together often.

I should explain it wasn't every day for 4 years.
 I saw Chuck a few times a year over a 4 year period...always with in a group
of friends at parties, going to the movies, going to the beach. 

  Like a rock on the ground...sitting there still and quiet

...he didn't get my attention much.

And then, after 4 years of friendship, he asked me on a date. 

 Which led to many dates and finally a relationship.

  I think the rabbit coat he gave me that Christmas

was the real turning point. wink

On this Father's Day of our 29th year of marriage,

 he is still quiet, introverted, nice, calm and

has been a hard worker all of these years. 

 What I love most of all is that he has proven to be the rock

...the steady...the foundation for our family. 

 He has proven to be much more than I was looking for. 

And the best thing he has ever given me is our three children.

Thank you, Chuck, for helping me take care of the babies...
even if you were asleep, too.

Thank you, Chuck, for the awkward family photos. 

If you, the reader, only knew how he looked at the photographer
 when she asked him to lie down on that floor pillow. 

 But he agreed....because I clenched my teeth at him. 

This picture makes me laugh now...
because it is so opposite of Chuck to pose like that.

Thanks for holding on to the frame of the swing set so

 that all 3 kids could swing at the same time. 

Without you, they would have flown off. 

You are the steady of this family.



You are the rock of this family.

Happy Father's Day, Chuck...

you are my rock.

P.S. to Chuck:  I'm sorry I'm not good about buying cards.  I always mean to, and then time sneaks up on me.  So last night when I told you I didn't get you a card but I would do a blog post for you...you kindly said, "that's better than a card."  So here's your post.  I love you.


And P.S.S. to our fathers above:  You were the first foundation and set the examples of what a husband and father should be.  We love you and miss you everyday...but you are in our DNA and our hearts and our memories.  And it is you I thank for the wonderful rock I have.  To Billy Hackney for raising such a fine man.  And to Bill Langley for being such a good father to me and a wonderful husband to my mother...setting the first example of what a good father and husband should be.

The Ride

It seems to be there are only two things we know for sure.  One, we are born...because if you're reading this, you were born.  And two, we will die.  I know, such a downer, but that one is for sure.

But how, when, and where is the big mystery, isn't it?

In between is full of the unknown.  And this is the stuff that feeds the anxiety, the depression, the control freak's nightmare.  We fill our calendars with schedules and appointments.  We get up on time to get to our jobs on time.  We go home the same way each day and pull in the driveway of our homes thinking about what will be for dinner.  And in the complacency of our daily routines we can settle in to a safe place. A routine.  Our normal.  On our tracks.

And then the phone rings....bad news.  Or someone knocks on the door....bad news.  Or a co-worker calls in sick and when they return it's with bad news. 

Oh, sometimes it's good news.  The phone rings....a baby is born healthy.  Someone knocks on the door...we found your dog down the street.  A co-worker makes you laugh and you feel such a connection. 

 

Bumper Cars.


We are just rolling around this arena of life on our little tracks.  And then bump.  Bump it hurts.  Bump it makes you laugh hysterically. Days with no bumps.  Days with nothing but bumps.

The best part of growing older (one must try to find a "best" about it) is that one can look back and see all of the bumps and how they worked out.  Your house didn't sell and then a new neighbor moved in and became the best friend that was made at the age of 35.  That job that came to an end and a new job appeared so easily.  The "oops" pregnancy that turned in to the most adored son and brother.

Oh, we steer those bumper cars of ours.  We plan and plan and steer and steer.  But still....bump. 


Bump. 



Bump.




And then after the bump....always we get back in the clear. Nothing is in the way of our tracks.  Always after a bump, things clear up.

It's a bump.  And maybe it's several bumps.  But then a new normal comes after the bump. 

We get up, we eat, we deal, we go back to bed.  Back in the clear...on our track.

And while we're on the ride we stay in that car.  And we steer and we bump.  And we cry and we laugh.  Because it's not over until it's over. 


And what fun would it be really, if we just got in that bumper car and the car never moved?

We could avoid the bad bumps...but we would avoid the good ones, too. 

Next to Normal...

My nephew is currently playing the role of Henry in Stages Theater's Next to Normal. 

  I've seen it twice...and I don't do plays. 

 Yep.  Twice.  It's that good. 

It's a musical...but only because the conversation

between the characters is sung.

It's not your typical  "break in to song and dance" kind of musical.

It could be described as funny, sad, and honest with endearing characters.

The family is dysfunctional (whose isn't?) because of the mother's mental illness.

  The effects of her treatment and mistreatment is at the center of the dysfunction.

But there is more....so much more. 

It's better to go in to it not knowing though. 

The set is incredible in that it barely exists. 

Tables and chairs are wheeled in and out from one scene to the next

 in darkness and this allows the audience to simply focus

 on the faces of the characters and their beautiful voices.

If you live in the Houston area, you should definitely try to see this one.  It will make you proud of Houston theater.  My nephew is the reason I went to see it the first time...with my sister, his mom.   But I went back the second time so my husband and kids could see it, too.  It's that good. 

Chuck doesn't do plays either.  But he loved it.  So there.

It's playing through June 24. 

I should explain for anyone who doesn't know me that I don't do plays

 because I can't sit still that long.  Not because I don't like them. 

 Most plays don't keep my attention long enough and I find myself

 counting the scenes left until intermission or the end.

  It's just a very antsy feeling.  Almost claustrophobic. 

And Chuck doesn't like plays because he likes television

 more than anything in the world.  And plays aren't like television.

  Movies come close to television so he does like some movies. 

 But plays?  Not so much. 

So let me say this again....we loved this play.

*************

What else?

Reading a couple of books on my Kindle Fire...and getting used to it. 

 

Saw Bernie and loved it. 

 A true story about a murder that happened in

Carthage, Texas in the mid 90's. 

Jack Black does a great job as Bernie. 

Chuck had a conference to attend in Orlando in May

 so Will and Cameron tagged along so they could go

 to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

They had 2 days at the park and drank lots of ButterBeer.

All of my kids (3) love Harry Potter but these two are the

most addicted to the whole thing.

At least these 2 tell me they are more obsessed with HP than their sister.

Jordan is more obsessed with The Wizard of Oz.

So glad they had this chance to go here.

Check out the expression on the girl in pink.

Souveniers. 

All candy...no tshirts.

I stayed home with my very own Harry Pawter.