We really enjoyed the time with my family. And by "we" I mean me and all the kids.
Because Jim? He got sick.
When we got in bed the night before, he mentioned that his stomach felt queasy, but he thought it was from the medicine I gave him.
Which. Yesterday was our 35th wedding anniversary. THIRTY-FIVE YEARS. I posted a picture on IG, and someone commented, "#oldasmold.
ROO.
Everyone always asks me what the secret to a good and long-lasting marriage. Okay, technically not everyone always asks me. Maybe a few people. A couple. Okay, there was this one girl one time.
Whatever.
There aren't any secrets to a good and long-lasting marriage. It's work, and it's having things in common and things you do that are different. I think the bed-rock of our marriage is our common faith in God. We made a commitment to Him that we would stay together forever, no matter what. We also made a commitment to our children, when we started having them. They didn't get a say as to whether they would be born or not. We made them. We are committed to them.
Also, Jim and I are great friends. The lovin' feelings? They come and go. Or they have for us. Especially when your beloved tells you how you should take a shower (it depends on the seasons of the year) and why you shouldn't light a candle in the summertime.
Also, we laugh...a LOT.
Well, mainly, it's the kids and I laughing at Jim, but whatever, right?
We give and take, help and receive, do things together and stay out of each other's way. It just depends. We are in a pretty good rhythm now, but I don't ever want our marriage to be routine. I still want things to be sweet. :)
But here's the answer I would give if someone asked me the secret to a good and long-lasting marriage today: It's when you give them your medicine when they are feeling bad.
Hypothetically speaking, of course.
I had been feeling yucky for a while, and finally went to the doc-in-a-box this week. She diagnosed me with a sinus infection, WHICH I ALREADY KNEW BECAUSE I AM ALMOST A DOCTOR. And she gave me 4 different kinds of medicine.
Fast forward to this week and Jim has a tooth that is killing him...and we are leaving to go out-of-town...and his dentist is closed on Friday...and Monday is a holiday...and on Tuesday he has an out-of-town, all day meeting. And so, I may or may not have given him my antibiotics.
And, please...don't tell me how bad this could potentially be. I know.
Please don't tell me your wife's sister's cousin's husband's best friend died when he took someone else's medicine.
I know.
Don't do as I may or may not have done.
We don't take a lot of medicine here at our house, but I know you're not supposed to share it. As a rule, I do not, but I didn't want him to be in pain until he could get in to see the dentist. And I'm fairly certain that his dentist will prescribe an antibiotic, because there is obvious infection.
As for me? Well, I'm taking the other 3 medicines the doctor gave me and hoping for the best.
Isn't that the life of a wife and mom? You give up the last piece of cake, the last sip of diet Coke, the last dry towel at the pool. You give up your sweatshirt for the one who said she didn't want to bring one and then got cold. You give up your seat on the couch, your favorite pillow, your last two chicken nuggets. You offer to drive on a long road trip, so that others can sleep. You take the seat in the back, so someone else will be more comfortable. You eat the cold potatoes and the steak that was not cooked right...because you switched your plate with one of your kids' plates. And you're not even mad about it.
It's what we do.
ANYWAY, Jim and I got up and made a big breakfast for everyone. He ate it and then disappeared. I found him later...IN THE BED. And Clark was in the bed with him. Clark had apparently not slept well, and so he crawled in MY bed, back in our room where it was dark and cool. He was sacked out and had no idea that Jim had just yacked up his breakfast and crawled into bed next to him.
Let's just keep that little story to ourselves.
Clark took a long nap and felt much better. Jim slept for 20 hours and felt much better.
But, he missed the anniversary party that my family had for us. He missed Babe's Chicken that my sister, Leanne, ordered for our dinner. He missed the chocolate cake with the raspberry filling that my sister, Robin, made for us. He missed visiting with my brother and our nieces and nephews.
This morning, he was up early...because he was feeling better, and because we were heading home and he likes to get an early start. I heard him in the closet getting dressed. I heard the sound of Velcro, and I knew he was strapping his i-phone to his arm to go run. When I heard him walk out of the bedroom, I started searching The Google for the nearest mental health facility.
Because, seriously? He slept for 20 hours and has had NO FOOD and nothing to drink but Sprite...and he's going to go run? I was mildly irritated, because we are at my sister's house and I'm not THAT familiar with the area and HOW AM I GOING TO EVEN FIND HIM IF HE FALLS OUT SOMEWHERE?
In the end, he told me he just went on a walk. He ate a piece of toast for breakfast, and then we all got in the cars and headed back to Arkansas. He's made it fine the whole way home. And even tho I would've been fine to pick-up Subway and eat at home, he wanted to go out for dinner...and we did. Because did I mention that it was his birthday?
Well, it was!
I'm not saying how old he is, but he's gonna be puttin' the hurt on Kroger from now on. On TUESDAYS.
And now we are at home, watching bad storms come through. I'm thinking that I need to make some room in the closet under the stairs, just in case we get a tornado warning.
"Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife." Proverbs 19:14
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