I am so excited about tonight!!! Some of my favorite traditions begin tonight...and we have a lot of them that we have carried out over the years. This is the first year as a pastor that we have gotten to host come and go communion at our church. Frank and I will serve to who ever drops in from 5-7. During this time we are expecting Clay and Missi to arrive from Nashville. They will be with us this weekend and I have been so excited all day. Frank and I will open our gifts to each other tonight. We always wait until everyone is fast asleep and then we sit in front of the tree and cuddle and open presents. I love this moment. Tomorrow morning we will have breakfast with the Towler family....and then Missi and I are going to see my mom and visit her mom's grave. We will come back, cook for tomorrow night and about 3 head to Amanda's for our big family thing. We are so blessed this year because Randy is going to be with us for the celebration. This is truly God's answered prayer. Most of you know that Randy had a stem-cell transplant after Thanksgiving. We will also get to see the two new babies in the family....David and Susanna will be there with new baby Tommy....and of course his big brother Wheeler (Big Wheels)....Ramona and Dustin will be there with my precious Drew...they will have a new baby, William Alexander, in May. Della and John will be there with their new sweetheart, Jax. Our family is full of sweet little baby boys right now. Kat and Brian are both sick...but they are coming to my house tomorrow for a bit...they are not going to Amanda's...because they don't think Randy needs to be around them. We have a big surprise for Kat....and that is all I am going to say today....I will blog about it on Sunday....with pictures....can't wait for you to know! I miss being Santa and putting stockings together. We visited with Eric and his family this morning and took their gifts to them, my godmother, Frances, and my dear friend, Deborah and delivered gifts today. Life has gotten so busy that it takes away from spending time with the ones you love sometime. I promised Deborah...we crossed our hearts and shook hands that 2011 we would spend more time together....seriously, I can't wait for the rest of today and tomorrow.....because it means being with the people I love!!!! I hope each of you has a very Merry Christmas and thoroughly enjoys the time with your family...hug them once for me. I pray that each of you know the JOY and HOPE that came with the birth of a baby....the Savior, Jesus Christ.....who died for YOU.
Merry Christmas with Love! K
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
It's That Time Again
Holy crap.
Christmas is basically here.
Normally I'd be running around the house with my hands waving about my head shouting profanity words because I've realized that I still have tons of presents to wrap.
Not this year.
Since I'm at my parent's house, my Mom did most of the wrapping.
And normally I'd be panicking about Christmas dinner...would it burn? Would I burn? Would the house burn? WHAT IF THE HAM CAME OUT HARD?
This year, I don't even have to worry about dinner.
Mom is making it. Prime rib. Oh, I'll probably help a bit, but nothing serious.
I did pick out the dessert though. A fabulous looking cake found in the HEB bakery. A triple chocolate cake. I almost drooled over the display case and the baker kept flicking looks in my direction as if to say, "Is she...okay?"
Yes, this Christmas will be more relaxing, but I'd take all the stress if Tom were able to be here.
Only he can't, because he's stuck in Korea. But at least we'll be able to talk to him on Skype. I did open the present he sent me and laughed, because when I saw what it was, I knew that he understood me.
It was one of those Martians from Sesame Street.
You know, the ones that go, "Yip yip yip, uh huh, uh huh." They've always made me giggle and he sent me one. He watched as I opened it and went, "Do you like it?"
I held it close. "I love it."
He got Tommy a Lego set and Natalie a mini jewelery box so she'd stop taking mine. He even had a plaque placed inside that said, "Daddy loves you."
I'm with my family, so I know I will have a wonderful Christmas. Tomorrow we're going to see my Grandma, who I call Nana Jo, and she'll be spending the night with us. This means I have to watch my tongue and not curse which will be hard when we play Yahtzee at night. I tend to get pissy when the dice won't listen to me.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! And if you don't celebrate it, have a lovely weekend.
I have some old pictures I found of Natalie. Since she was a tiny thing, I've been dressing her up.
And, well, she wasn't always thrilled:
She'd give me this look as a baby often, like, "Seriously? THIS is the woman that has been left to take care of me?"
Big blue eyes that have now turned hazel but look blue if she's wearing blue:
And yes, I stuck her in a teacup:
Tommy was roped into the pictures too:
Baby Natalie says "Merry Christmas!"
Christmas is basically here.
Normally I'd be running around the house with my hands waving about my head shouting profanity words because I've realized that I still have tons of presents to wrap.
Not this year.
Since I'm at my parent's house, my Mom did most of the wrapping.
And normally I'd be panicking about Christmas dinner...would it burn? Would I burn? Would the house burn? WHAT IF THE HAM CAME OUT HARD?
This year, I don't even have to worry about dinner.
Mom is making it. Prime rib. Oh, I'll probably help a bit, but nothing serious.
I did pick out the dessert though. A fabulous looking cake found in the HEB bakery. A triple chocolate cake. I almost drooled over the display case and the baker kept flicking looks in my direction as if to say, "Is she...okay?"
Yes, this Christmas will be more relaxing, but I'd take all the stress if Tom were able to be here.
Only he can't, because he's stuck in Korea. But at least we'll be able to talk to him on Skype. I did open the present he sent me and laughed, because when I saw what it was, I knew that he understood me.
It was one of those Martians from Sesame Street.
You know, the ones that go, "Yip yip yip, uh huh, uh huh." They've always made me giggle and he sent me one. He watched as I opened it and went, "Do you like it?"
I held it close. "I love it."
He got Tommy a Lego set and Natalie a mini jewelery box so she'd stop taking mine. He even had a plaque placed inside that said, "Daddy loves you."
I'm with my family, so I know I will have a wonderful Christmas. Tomorrow we're going to see my Grandma, who I call Nana Jo, and she'll be spending the night with us. This means I have to watch my tongue and not curse which will be hard when we play Yahtzee at night. I tend to get pissy when the dice won't listen to me.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! And if you don't celebrate it, have a lovely weekend.
I have some old pictures I found of Natalie. Since she was a tiny thing, I've been dressing her up.
And, well, she wasn't always thrilled:
She'd give me this look as a baby often, like, "Seriously? THIS is the woman that has been left to take care of me?"
Big blue eyes that have now turned hazel but look blue if she's wearing blue:
And yes, I stuck her in a teacup:
Tommy was roped into the pictures too:
Baby Natalie says "Merry Christmas!"
...Twas the Day Before Christmas....
When did we begin....or how did we begin celebrating Christmas Eve? Many families....including Frank and I open presents on Christmas Eve. We do because the kids will be here on Christmas Day evening....and so it is our special time....of course there are only two of us and we could open our presents on December 1st....but nope...it is the 24th. I looked up a little history about Christmas Eve and found it very interesting so I thought I would share it with you....Did you know that for centuries, Christmas was celebrated not as a single day, but as a whole season in parts of the world, beginning with this day, December 24, Christmas Eve. Perhaps the practice of celebrating the evening before the big day is an echo from ancient Jewish reckoning. Among earlier Jews, a day began at six in the evening and ran until six the following evening. Had not Moses written: "An evening and a morning were the first day"? Christmas means "Christ mass." Although the date is a guess, the tradition of observing it goes back to at least the fourth century. Under the influence of the church, Christian traditions replaced pagan solstice festivals throughout Europe. Often the more innocent pagan practices (such as bringing in a Yule log, decorating with holly and the like) were carried over into the Christmas observance, transfigured with new meaning. Christmas Eve (the evening before Christmas day) was then celebrated with roaring fires, story-telling, feasting, drinking, dancing, and sometimes clowning. Sir Walter Scott described its festive air in a poem:
Things weren't always so pleasant, however. On Christmas Eve, 1521, with the Reformation gaining steam in Germany, crowds rioted in Wittenberg. Against the orders of Elector Frederick, Andreas Carlstadt had given them both the bread and wine at mass. Zealous for more "reformation," the mob smashed church lamps, sang ridiculous songs to drown out the choir and intimidated the priests. Luther is supposed to have cut the first Christmas tree. The story may be apocryphal, but we know that on Christmas Eve, 1538, he was in a jolly mood, singing and talking about the incarnation. Then he sighed, saying, "Oh, we poor men, that we should be so cold and indifferent to this great joy which has been given us."Despite Luther's lament, others would make warm memories on Christmas Eve. In his memoirs, Sir John Reresby told how he invited his poor tenants for a feast on Christmas Eve, 1682. During World War I, the famous Christmas Truce began for many troops on Christmas Eve, 1914, demonstrating the power for good that is inherent in the season. For a season that is so celebratory....you know Santa, a special baby being born, family and friends.....it was startling to me to see that Christmas has had some not so spectacular things happen on it. As you begin your day....hug your loved ones, enjoy the magic of the moment, say a prayer for those who are sick or away from their families right now....and be a little kinder to everyone! Merry Christmas Eve to All!
On Christmas Eve, the bells were rung;
On Christmas Eve, the mass was sung.
The damsel donned her kirtle sheen,
the hall was dressed with holly green;
All hail'd with uncontroll'd delight,
And general voice the happy night
That to the cottage, as the crown,
Brought tidings of salvation down.
Things weren't always so pleasant, however. On Christmas Eve, 1521, with the Reformation gaining steam in Germany, crowds rioted in Wittenberg. Against the orders of Elector Frederick, Andreas Carlstadt had given them both the bread and wine at mass. Zealous for more "reformation," the mob smashed church lamps, sang ridiculous songs to drown out the choir and intimidated the priests. Luther is supposed to have cut the first Christmas tree. The story may be apocryphal, but we know that on Christmas Eve, 1538, he was in a jolly mood, singing and talking about the incarnation. Then he sighed, saying, "Oh, we poor men, that we should be so cold and indifferent to this great joy which has been given us."Despite Luther's lament, others would make warm memories on Christmas Eve. In his memoirs, Sir John Reresby told how he invited his poor tenants for a feast on Christmas Eve, 1682. During World War I, the famous Christmas Truce began for many troops on Christmas Eve, 1914, demonstrating the power for good that is inherent in the season. For a season that is so celebratory....you know Santa, a special baby being born, family and friends.....it was startling to me to see that Christmas has had some not so spectacular things happen on it. As you begin your day....hug your loved ones, enjoy the magic of the moment, say a prayer for those who are sick or away from their families right now....and be a little kinder to everyone! Merry Christmas Eve to All!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
To Tell You The Truth
I have a confession to make.
I'm not the best with small talk.
So when I went in to get my hair done last week, I was nervous about how I'd converse with the hairdresser.
The person who did my hair was a gay guy who had done my hair before. He just reminds me that I need a gay best friend, and stat. He's done my hair another time and remembered me because, well, I have a lot of hair. And it's ultra thick. I don't have the same hairdresser because I never know when I'll get to go in and get my hair done...so when I call and make an appointment, I ask for whomever is available.
It's pretty easy to talk to the guy in the beginning, but then silences fall and I'm always like, "Should I keep talking? Should I stay silent? WHAT? WHAT should I do?"
The people around me seem to know exactly what to do. They'll ramble on and on and, well, I'm not much of a rambler unless I'm drunk.
"So...um....have you ever been to London?" I finally spit out and then felt like an idiot. I mean, who asks that? I could have inquired about what he was doing for the holidays but no, I asked if he had ever been to London. And he hadn't, by the way.
Then another silence fell.
Crappity crap.
But then...
Then the hairdresser started telling me about a client who came in and said she wanted her hair cut short to her shoulders. So they cut her hair short and now she's complaining that it's TOO short and is expecting them to pay for extensions.
"Like Paris Hilton has?" I asked dumbly. Seriously, I am SUCH an idiot. It's like I don't get out enough. And okay, I really don't but still. I should know how to talk normally to people.
"Yeah, like her," the hairdresser laughed. "But that's like a $1500 job so of course we're refusing, and she's raising more of a stink and...it's probably going to come down that we'll have to have all our clients sign permission slips before we can do anything with their hair."
"That's a shame," I mused. It really is. What is WRONG with people these days? It seems everyone wants everything for free. They'll complain about everything to get the free stuff.
My hair, by the way, was getting much needed highlights. See, I have gray hair and no that's not a figure of speech. I literally have GRAY HAIR thanks to my Dad, who got gray hair when he was seventeen. Did I get his straight teeth? No. Did I inherit his awesome eyesight? No. But I DID get his gray hair. Thanks.
It had been...oh, six months since I had last had my hair done so it needed it.
Here is the outcome:
Much better, no gray.
And yes, still somewhat long, but only because I really don't have the face for short hair. It's like round and puffy. My face, not my hair.
Plus, I sort of like having long hair, since so many people have short hair. People usually remember me thanks to my hair.
It's probably because it's long and frizzy, but still. If I could afford to fork out the stuff they use in my hair at the salon, it would probably be tamer, but I refuse to fork over forty bucks for a bottle of shampoo.
I'm not the best with small talk.
So when I went in to get my hair done last week, I was nervous about how I'd converse with the hairdresser.
The person who did my hair was a gay guy who had done my hair before. He just reminds me that I need a gay best friend, and stat. He's done my hair another time and remembered me because, well, I have a lot of hair. And it's ultra thick. I don't have the same hairdresser because I never know when I'll get to go in and get my hair done...so when I call and make an appointment, I ask for whomever is available.
It's pretty easy to talk to the guy in the beginning, but then silences fall and I'm always like, "Should I keep talking? Should I stay silent? WHAT? WHAT should I do?"
The people around me seem to know exactly what to do. They'll ramble on and on and, well, I'm not much of a rambler unless I'm drunk.
"So...um....have you ever been to London?" I finally spit out and then felt like an idiot. I mean, who asks that? I could have inquired about what he was doing for the holidays but no, I asked if he had ever been to London. And he hadn't, by the way.
Then another silence fell.
Crappity crap.
But then...
Then the hairdresser started telling me about a client who came in and said she wanted her hair cut short to her shoulders. So they cut her hair short and now she's complaining that it's TOO short and is expecting them to pay for extensions.
"Like Paris Hilton has?" I asked dumbly. Seriously, I am SUCH an idiot. It's like I don't get out enough. And okay, I really don't but still. I should know how to talk normally to people.
"Yeah, like her," the hairdresser laughed. "But that's like a $1500 job so of course we're refusing, and she's raising more of a stink and...it's probably going to come down that we'll have to have all our clients sign permission slips before we can do anything with their hair."
"That's a shame," I mused. It really is. What is WRONG with people these days? It seems everyone wants everything for free. They'll complain about everything to get the free stuff.
My hair, by the way, was getting much needed highlights. See, I have gray hair and no that's not a figure of speech. I literally have GRAY HAIR thanks to my Dad, who got gray hair when he was seventeen. Did I get his straight teeth? No. Did I inherit his awesome eyesight? No. But I DID get his gray hair. Thanks.
It had been...oh, six months since I had last had my hair done so it needed it.
Here is the outcome:
Much better, no gray.
And yes, still somewhat long, but only because I really don't have the face for short hair. It's like round and puffy. My face, not my hair.
Plus, I sort of like having long hair, since so many people have short hair. People usually remember me thanks to my hair.
It's probably because it's long and frizzy, but still. If I could afford to fork out the stuff they use in my hair at the salon, it would probably be tamer, but I refuse to fork over forty bucks for a bottle of shampoo.
Wednesday's Hodge Podge Direct to You from Knoxville
Today's Wednesday Hodgepodge, hosted by Joyce From this Side of the Pond, this is our last one for 2010. Joyce is traveling next week, so she's taking a break until January 5. I don't know about you guys but I will miss next having one next week. Think about your own answers and enjoy mine.
1. Share yourChristmas Eve traditions. Up until this year we have always had Christmas brunch at either my house or Amanda's....followed by Dirty Santa. It is so much fun. For years our mothers did Thanksgiving and then we girls did Christmas. This year we are having dinner at Amanda's on Christmas night....and RANDY is going to get to be there. We are so excited! We did not believe this would happen. Prayers have been going up so fervently....and God was definitely listening.
2. What was the best book you read in 2010? (we're not going to includeThe Bible here). I am a voracious reader and have read probably 50+ books this year....but my favorite(s) would be: Same Kind of Different As Me (Ron Hall et al.) and the Hat Box (Patsy Clairmont)
3. Do you have pets and if so do you allow them on thefurniture ? We have a doxie named Beau....and as for ALLOW on the furniture....well he ALLOWS us to live in his house. Nuff said?
4. What event from 2010 are you most thankful for? Randy at the treehouse for Christmas!
5. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before. Went to Michigan and moved into a parsonage.
6. Brussel sprouts...friend or foe? Foe....brussel sprouts should be abolished from the face of the earth. They stink cooking and they taste terrible.
7. Who would you nominate for man/woman of the year? Beth Moore
8. Insert your own random thought here. What is your favorite winter/Christmas poem? Why? Mine is In the Bleak Midwinter. I love it because it is so touching. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Wednesday!
1. Share your
2. What was the best book you read in 2010? (we're not going to include
3. Do you have pets and if so do you allow them on the
4. What event from 2010 are you most thankful for? Randy at the treehouse for Christmas!
5. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before. Went to Michigan and moved into a parsonage.
6. Brussel sprouts...friend or foe? Foe....brussel sprouts should be abolished from the face of the earth. They stink cooking and they taste terrible.
7. Who would you nominate for man/woman of the year? Beth Moore
8. Insert your own random thought here. What is your favorite winter/Christmas poem? Why? Mine is In the Bleak Midwinter. I love it because it is so touching. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Wednesday!
1. In the bleak midwinter, frost wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.
2. Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
3. Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.
4. What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
We Have To Talk
"We have to talk," Tom said.
Crap.
He knew.
"Look, I couldn't help it," I blabbered. "Gymboree was having a 50% off sale, plus I had a 20% off coupon, so I had to shop." I threw my hands in the air. "It would have been a crime NOT to shop the sale. I certainly don't have that kind of willpower. If you had seen the clothes, you'd have understood."
Tom blinked at me from the computer screen. We were talking via Skype, and he seemed at a loss.
"I wasn't talking about that," Tom finally said.
Double crap!
I had assumed he had checked the bank account and had seen the charge from Gymboree even though I had promised PROMISED that I wouldn't shop there again until it was time to redeem my Gymbucks. But that was before the sale. The FIFTY PERCENT OFF sale. (Actually, the sale is still going on now. If you're wondering.) I didn't feel too guilty about going back on my promise that I wouldn't shop, mainly because Tom vows that he won't buy anything else, and then he'll go, "Oh, but then I saw these shoes, and I needed shoes so..." And then he'll shrug sheepishly as if to say, "What did you expect me to do? Say no to the shoes?" Same with video games. He'll vow that he won't buy anything for many months, and then he'll see one on the shelf, hug it to his chest and go, "Can I? It looks awesome. There's a sinking BOAT on the cover."
"Well...since you weren't talking about that, can you delete it from your memory?" I tapped the air with my fingers and went, "Click, click, DELETED!" just like Jim Carrey did in Liar, Liar. I love that movie. I've seen it more times than I can remember, and it always makes me laugh. Especially when--
"I'm being serious," Tom said.
Oh. Okay. He was being serious...
Oh my God, was he having an affair? You hear about that sort of thing happening all the time. Granted, it's usually the spouse left at home, but it can happen out there. I started to chew on my fingernail. If he had an affair, I'd fly my ass to Korea and attack the chick with my chewed on nails. I may look weak, but I have a pointy elbow and a purse filled with loose change.
"What?" I nibbled my thumbnail.
Tom took a deep breath. "You know what's been happening over here, right?"
I nodded. "North Korea is starting shit." God, North Korea was like a spoiled child, the one kid in playgroup that everyone cringes when he or she approaches. Nothing seems to make the child happy, so it causes mayhem.
"That's right," Tom said. "And...well, we're on high alert here, as I'm sure you're aware. It's just, if they need volunteers to go to North Korea, I'm doing it."
My heart dropped. "But that's dangerous. Did you not see what they did to Lisa Ling's sister? I mean, I don't think they did much, just kept her captive, but that was pretty rude in itself, don't you think?"
Tom shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them. "I'm being serious."
"Me too! Poor Lisa Ling's sister! And her friend. Can you imagine being stuck in North Korea? I bet it stinks. I saw this special on MTV about it, and it's so quiet there, hardly anyone walks around so you could walk into a coffee shop and be the only one there."
"I'm volunteering, Amber, and I just wanted you to know. I joined the military to defend my country," Tom explained.
I knew this. All along Tom had told me this. In fact, it killed him not to go to Iraq or Afghanistan. He tried to go, several times, but wasn't needed. He did eventually get to Qatar and did some missions in Iraq, but it wasn't enough for him. He'd watch stories about his fellow soldiers fighting and dying, fighting and getting injured, and I could see this disturbed him. Why should I get to sit on this couch, enjoying life, when they've lost theirs? When they've hurt themselves?
"Could you maybe just let a group volunteer first, see what happens to them, and THEN volunteer?" I asked meekly. "Like the people who have no families, surely they can go first?"
"Everyone has families, Amber. Maybe not their own, but mostly everyone I work with, they have loved ones."
I knew this too. I knew I was being selfish in my thoughts.
"Yes, but, they don't all have a little girl who would be crushed if anything were to happen to her Daddy."
Tom swallowed. I knew he was picturing Natalie, arms outstretched, calling for him. "If anything did happen, she'd be proud of me."
"She would, but she'd--I'd--" I could feel my nose start to prickle and had to stop or else I'd surely burst into tears.
"You'd be fine. You'd go on with your life," Tom said knowingly.
"I wouldn't WANT to go on with my life," I replied stubbornly.
"You would. Look, nothing may not even happen. I'm just telling you if it does. I'm going. I'm going to North Korea."
I sniffed. "I'd love you if your face got melted off."
Tom's eyebrows shot up. "EXCUSE me?"
"On Oprah awhile back, there was this soldier, and his face got melted off due to an explosion and his wife stuck with him. He literally had no face left, just...well, I think there was a hole made for the mouth, but as I've said before, I'd love you if you didn't have a face," I said grandly.
"Um. Thank you?" Tom answered. "But I do love you. I just wanted you to know."
I sighed. "I sort of suspected, Tom. We've been together awhile now and I...sort of suspected." I was quiet for a few seconds. "Want to hold your hand up to the screen and I'll do the same? It seems like something that would be done if we were in a movie with soft music playing in the background."
Tom shook his head, unmoved. "No, thanks. It'll make my screen all smudgy."
Somehow, I don't think the male character in a romantic comedy would say that. But oh well.
"Just...if you did volunteer, don't offer to like, be the hero or anything. Don't risk your life. Don't drive your spaceship into the alien spaceship to blow it up for the sake of all mankind," I said passionately.
Tom rolled his eyes. "Have you been watching Independence Day?"
"Maybe. But still. That sort of applies here. Only no spaceship. Or aliens."
"I'll do what I have to do," Tom said. He was acting like Yoda. Ugh.
I just hope nothing does happen.
I hope he'll be able to come home in August, as planned.
I just hope.
Crap.
He knew.
"Look, I couldn't help it," I blabbered. "Gymboree was having a 50% off sale, plus I had a 20% off coupon, so I had to shop." I threw my hands in the air. "It would have been a crime NOT to shop the sale. I certainly don't have that kind of willpower. If you had seen the clothes, you'd have understood."
Tom blinked at me from the computer screen. We were talking via Skype, and he seemed at a loss.
"I wasn't talking about that," Tom finally said.
Double crap!
I had assumed he had checked the bank account and had seen the charge from Gymboree even though I had promised PROMISED that I wouldn't shop there again until it was time to redeem my Gymbucks. But that was before the sale. The FIFTY PERCENT OFF sale. (Actually, the sale is still going on now. If you're wondering.) I didn't feel too guilty about going back on my promise that I wouldn't shop, mainly because Tom vows that he won't buy anything else, and then he'll go, "Oh, but then I saw these shoes, and I needed shoes so..." And then he'll shrug sheepishly as if to say, "What did you expect me to do? Say no to the shoes?" Same with video games. He'll vow that he won't buy anything for many months, and then he'll see one on the shelf, hug it to his chest and go, "Can I? It looks awesome. There's a sinking BOAT on the cover."
"Well...since you weren't talking about that, can you delete it from your memory?" I tapped the air with my fingers and went, "Click, click, DELETED!" just like Jim Carrey did in Liar, Liar. I love that movie. I've seen it more times than I can remember, and it always makes me laugh. Especially when--
"I'm being serious," Tom said.
Oh. Okay. He was being serious...
Oh my God, was he having an affair? You hear about that sort of thing happening all the time. Granted, it's usually the spouse left at home, but it can happen out there. I started to chew on my fingernail. If he had an affair, I'd fly my ass to Korea and attack the chick with my chewed on nails. I may look weak, but I have a pointy elbow and a purse filled with loose change.
"What?" I nibbled my thumbnail.
Tom took a deep breath. "You know what's been happening over here, right?"
I nodded. "North Korea is starting shit." God, North Korea was like a spoiled child, the one kid in playgroup that everyone cringes when he or she approaches. Nothing seems to make the child happy, so it causes mayhem.
"That's right," Tom said. "And...well, we're on high alert here, as I'm sure you're aware. It's just, if they need volunteers to go to North Korea, I'm doing it."
My heart dropped. "But that's dangerous. Did you not see what they did to Lisa Ling's sister? I mean, I don't think they did much, just kept her captive, but that was pretty rude in itself, don't you think?"
Tom shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them. "I'm being serious."
"Me too! Poor Lisa Ling's sister! And her friend. Can you imagine being stuck in North Korea? I bet it stinks. I saw this special on MTV about it, and it's so quiet there, hardly anyone walks around so you could walk into a coffee shop and be the only one there."
"I'm volunteering, Amber, and I just wanted you to know. I joined the military to defend my country," Tom explained.
I knew this. All along Tom had told me this. In fact, it killed him not to go to Iraq or Afghanistan. He tried to go, several times, but wasn't needed. He did eventually get to Qatar and did some missions in Iraq, but it wasn't enough for him. He'd watch stories about his fellow soldiers fighting and dying, fighting and getting injured, and I could see this disturbed him. Why should I get to sit on this couch, enjoying life, when they've lost theirs? When they've hurt themselves?
"Could you maybe just let a group volunteer first, see what happens to them, and THEN volunteer?" I asked meekly. "Like the people who have no families, surely they can go first?"
"Everyone has families, Amber. Maybe not their own, but mostly everyone I work with, they have loved ones."
I knew this too. I knew I was being selfish in my thoughts.
"Yes, but, they don't all have a little girl who would be crushed if anything were to happen to her Daddy."
Tom swallowed. I knew he was picturing Natalie, arms outstretched, calling for him. "If anything did happen, she'd be proud of me."
"She would, but she'd--I'd--" I could feel my nose start to prickle and had to stop or else I'd surely burst into tears.
"You'd be fine. You'd go on with your life," Tom said knowingly.
"I wouldn't WANT to go on with my life," I replied stubbornly.
"You would. Look, nothing may not even happen. I'm just telling you if it does. I'm going. I'm going to North Korea."
I sniffed. "I'd love you if your face got melted off."
Tom's eyebrows shot up. "EXCUSE me?"
"On Oprah awhile back, there was this soldier, and his face got melted off due to an explosion and his wife stuck with him. He literally had no face left, just...well, I think there was a hole made for the mouth, but as I've said before, I'd love you if you didn't have a face," I said grandly.
"Um. Thank you?" Tom answered. "But I do love you. I just wanted you to know."
I sighed. "I sort of suspected, Tom. We've been together awhile now and I...sort of suspected." I was quiet for a few seconds. "Want to hold your hand up to the screen and I'll do the same? It seems like something that would be done if we were in a movie with soft music playing in the background."
Tom shook his head, unmoved. "No, thanks. It'll make my screen all smudgy."
Somehow, I don't think the male character in a romantic comedy would say that. But oh well.
"Just...if you did volunteer, don't offer to like, be the hero or anything. Don't risk your life. Don't drive your spaceship into the alien spaceship to blow it up for the sake of all mankind," I said passionately.
Tom rolled his eyes. "Have you been watching Independence Day?"
"Maybe. But still. That sort of applies here. Only no spaceship. Or aliens."
"I'll do what I have to do," Tom said. He was acting like Yoda. Ugh.
I just hope nothing does happen.
I hope he'll be able to come home in August, as planned.
I just hope.
Frank's First Wedding and a Tall Tale
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)