My One Word for 2013- JOY

Joy is my word for the year. It’s about feeling joy within and without. The outer joy is pretty easy, what makes me smile, what makes me laugh, what makes me feel safe and loved. Those things are easy to see.

I married my Joy!

 We were high school friends before we became man and wife. Did I ever tell you that he proposed three times before I said Yes? He really did!

The first time he asked, I figured no one in their right mind would want to be married to me and the family that would come with that choice. So I said no.

The second time he asked, I figured that we were too young and stupid to ever make it work, after all who was I??? (I had low self-esteem issues back then). We were not even 18 years old yet after all!

I had a list of reasons why it would never work. I’m right handed, he’s left handed. I’m ALWAYS cold; he’s hot most of the time. I love the summer, he loves fall. I’m the crazy morning person who wakes up at 4:30 most mornings WITHOUT AN ALARM CLOCK. He’s still sleeping at 10 am if he could. I would be asleep in the chair by 10pm (that is MUCH earlier now) and he could be up until 2 AM.. He is wonderful at saying clichés and I have never been able to say them right – a condition known as malapropism (who knew there was a word for it). How could 2 such different people make it work??

But by the time he asked the 3rd time, I decided that I always liked nuts, and he always treated me so nicely and treated his family nicely as well. More importantly, I knew that I loved him with all my heart, so I said YES.

Our Senior prom photo, I got my ring that night

We chose to elope because my parents were not going to make any wedding easy to have and I was stressed over it all. I decided a long marriage was far better than a big expensive showy wedding. So we blew off the plans and gathered only a few people and went off to a Justice of the Peace and got married, then told my parents…. Their reaction?????Oh that is such another story…

Our Wedding Photo

He is all the things I told you about, left handed, late sleeper, a hot blooded person and more. He is the extra 4 inches I always wanted to have to be able to reach the top of cabinets. He is the spell checker who never judges me, he is the cliché king that I can’t ever be.

At his retirement party

He makes me feel safe! He taught me how to shoot a gun and I will tell you proudly, I’m darn good at it too!!!  SO DON'T MESS WITH THIS LADY... Oh, and yet another story……

He also let me know, he would put up with my family because he loves me but he didn’t marry them and they were no longer allowed to hurt me. He kept his promise on that one too.....

Holding the granddaughters stroller and blanket for her.

YUP JOY in a large left handed, late riser, hot blooded, type B personality, with a knack to make me laugh every day and feel JOY always that I  made the right choice and said Yes finally. He is my rock, my friend, my lover, my husband, my partner in life. God sure knew what He was doing when He put us two together! 

Next month Joy without!!!