Friday, November 16, 2012

our story, pt. 4: songs

I have about 50 other things I could be doing right now, rather than blogging. The missionaries are coming over for dinner tonight and I haven't even touched the crock pot. I need to move laundry over to the dryer, not to mention load the dishwasher. I haven't even worked on my novel yet today. 

Funny, how a song makes all of that not matter.

Let me start by saying, I'm not a full-blown Taylor Swift fan. I think her style can be a bit...juvenile? And there was a long time when I couldn't listen to any of her music at all because it would just make me sad. However, I think every girl knows there is at least one Taylor Swift song (more likely several) that describes her life, uncannily and undeniably. And something about that just makes a girl feel a little bit better. Those are the songs you play while you do your hair in the morning, or blast in the car on the way to work. They become a part of your Life Playlist.

I found a song like that today, and it reminded me of another special song...

Last July, it sort of amazed me how comfortable I was with Chris, this man I barely knew. I'd already been painfully honest and immensely forward with him. And yet there he was, picking me up for our second date, opening my door, and giving me that perfect dimpled smile. We rode out to the fairgrounds to see the fireworks, and it was kind of a long drive. We chatted as we drove, and his iPod played songs on shuffle.

"I should warn you," I told him, "I almost always sing along with the radio. Will that bother you?" 

He shrugged. "Nah." 

The sense of ease he conveyed stuck with me, and when "American Pie" came on, I started to sing with it. After the first verse, he started singing too, quietly to begin with, but by the end of it, we were exchanging grins and putting our hearts and souls into the refrain: 

Bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry
Them good ol' boys, drinking whiskey and rye
Singing "This will be the day that I die,
This will be the day that I die..."

Sitting next to him on the freeway, belting Don McLean lyrics into the dark, I was a little in awe. I'd been interested in Chris, yes, absolutely. Nothing serious though, nothing with real intention.  

After that, however, the only thing I could think was, "Um. Wow. I really want to date this guy."

Truth be told, it could have all gone south shortly thereafter. As we neared our exit, fireworks began to go off just above the treeline. 

"What??" 

I panicked a little, I confess. "Oh no, I must have gotten the time wrong. I'm so sorry, Chris. I feel really bad!" And, like always, I wasn't so much mortified by my misinformation as worried how other people -- like my date -- would respond to it. Be annoyed? Think I was stupid? Feel disappointed and never quite forgive me for it?

But Chris just shrugged again! "It happens. Do you want to park somewhere though? We can talk until the traffic clears out."

I'm certain I gave him a look that bordered on adoration, mingled with relief. "That would be great."

And that's exactly what we did -- pulled into a little parking lot and just talked. For hours. By the end of it, I was more than a little freaked out.  Does he ALWAYS say the right things? Is he just so good at this dating stuff that he knows what a girl wants to hear? Maybe he's been stalking me! ...Or can he just read minds?! The answer, of course, was none of the above. It's just that I was catching the first crazy inklings of a fact that now defines my life.

He's perfect for me. 

Everything had changed.

I'm so tremendously grateful that I get to spend my life with this man. I am so not good at this marriage thing, not all the time. I feel like I get annoyed with him on a daily basis, which, as I have told him, says much more about how easily annoyed I am than it does about anything he's doing. 

This is the kind of thing I might spend my whole life working on, especially to minimize the adverse effects it will have on our children. For their sake, as well as mine, I am so glad that I married a man who expends his energy on being easygoing -- even if it means he doesn't always have a lot of energy left for his homework. I am so grateful he's the kind of person who can just shrug and say, "it happens." 

Because I'm really not that kind of person, not yet. When I grow up, if that ever really happens, I really hope I am more like my husband. He's the kind of guy that changes lives for the better. 

After all, he sure changed mine.

4 comments:

  1. I just have to say that I completely love reading your love story. It makes me happy to "hear" your voice, and it brings back great memories of being your roommate, and all our little chats about boys. I'm so glad you're happy and loving life. I love you!

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  2. I love reading this! I live vicariously through my friends, and right now this story is one of the best parts of my vicarious life. :) Please keep writing (but don't neglect the rest of your life for it)!

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  3. I love you, Emily! You're so sweet, thank you for your kind words. :)

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  4. Haha, thanks Rachel! I should get up another one within a week. :) I'm glad you're enjoying it so much!

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