Category Archive:Moose Nuggets

I don’t have to be one of the many homeless . . .
I don’t have to be one of the many hungry . . .
I don’t have to be one of the hurting . . .
I don’t have to be one of the medically unstable . . .
I don’t have to be one of the mentally unstable . . .
I don’t have to be one of the frightened victims of domestic violence/sexual assault . . .
I don’t have to be childless, or child rich . . .
I don’t have to be poor or rich . . .
I don’t have to be fatherless or motherless . . .
I don’t have to be any particular political party . . .

. . . in order to feel empathy, love and compassion for my fellow man.

I am a #sexysocialjusticewarrior

Join me, won’t you?

Awhile back I set up a countdown app on my phone . . . I was counting down the days until I finished my work career.

Now, mind you, I have worked all my adult life – well, if you consider the age of 14 as part of an adult life. Yep, started working in a shirt laundry when I was 14. Did it to help pay for my first year’s tuition at the catholic high school. Went on to work in the kitchen of the hospital prepping patient trays. And, onward to different jobs, both full time and part time. All the while I was birthing and raising our two babies.

Long story longer . . . I have been working in the non-profit world since 2001. Prior to that I volunteered for the organization in various ways. I will be 70 in January and I figured that was a good time to call it quits. It would depend on whether our two remaining big bills would be paid off or not. Looks like we will be close, but not quite. As a result I am moving that countdown further back. And, that is okay. The new goal is to finish paying off the house and the car, then sock some extra money away.

I have two other countdowns going on the app. The first is set for when we leave for Ohio April 30. It has been several years since both of us have been back to our beginnings. Hubby was back last year. This time we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary with family and friends. We hope to take some side trips to visit with those who will not be able to come to party with us.

The third countdown is the one leading to our big date . . . May 10th will be our 50th anniversary. 43 days away. Our girls are hosting a party for us on the 11th.

This is the anniversary that did not look like would happen. I am fond of telling everyone that “he’s a lucky man” when they look surprised that we’re nearing that 50 year mark. But, in reality we are both so blessed. People who experience widow makers generally do not come out on the other side. Hubby did. Marriages do not all make it as long as ours has. Things happen and if there is not a connectivity, a tenacity to hold on, marriages can crumble.

We’ve had our stumbles along the way. We’ve had great blessings and joys along the way. Lord willing we will make it to and surpass the 50th.

The secret to a long marriage? Some days it is as simple as going to bed married and waking up married. Other days it is all joy. Choices. Love. Joy.

Counting down . . . and counting beyond.

What a picture of a 50 year marriage this is. Yes, this is the cake topper we had when we got married way back in 1969. It has traveled from apartment to house to house and then clear across the country from Ohio to Alaska and from cannery trailer to house.

It has sat on our headboard in our bedroom since 1979. Yes, it is dusty. And, many of the hearts are broken and chipped. The flowers there at the bottom once were attached to the hearts over the bride and groom’s heads. They are quite dusty, too.

And, isn’t this the way marriage relationships work out? We get dusty (and moldy, truth be told). Our hearts get broken from time to time. The flowers in our lives wilt and fall. And, yet, you will notice the bride and groom are standing tall still. There are no chips or missing parts in them.

Okay, the analogy sort of ends there. Hubby and I each have some missing parts, and we don’t stand as tall as we used to, but our spirits are whole. We have and are learning to take things in stride, to work through things, to mend the broken pieces. How else would we have made it through these past (nearly) fifty years?

Plastic does not bend – it breaks. Evidence those missing pieces here. Spirits, if allowed, bend and not break. It takes work. It takes commitment. (Sometimes it feels like those involved should be committed.) It takes forgiveness and spirited debate. Above all it takes love. I spoke of that in my last post. Always love.

We are thrilled to have made it this far in our journey. This cake topper will appear again at our 50th celebration. It may or may not have been dusted. (so it will not be ON the cake – lol) I trust that we will be able to pull it out again for another major milestone – 55, 60, 65, 70 years??? Perhaps not that many. We are just grateful for these.

Well, first day of the youngest grandson’s high school year. First day of the youngest granddaughter’s last high school year.

bittersweet

He will be taking part in all of the firsts . . . she will be taking part in all of the lasts. We will be here with comforting shoulders for all of the tears and full hearts for all of the joys.

Last night PawPaw and I attended the freshmen orientation and got to see and hear grandson in the drum line. He’ll get there. His instrument up to this time has been a trumpet. Now he is playing the snare . . . and marching. He’ll get there.

Here’s to a great year!

siblings – freshman on the left – senior on the right.