A Husband with Benefits

Last night we went to a Derby party. It was sponsored by Norton Healthcare. All administration and physicians were invited. I had been looking forward to it since the invitation came in the mail. I had no idea what to wear, or for that matter what my husband should wear. I asked around but never got a definitive answer. I erred on the side of dressing up. For I would much rather be overdressed than under dressed. Good thing. Because when we pulled up to the party, not only was I shocked by the valet parking, but by the beautiful dresses that all the women were wearing. When we got inside, we were given name tags and then we stood in a receiving line in which we were greeted by the president, the vice president, the CEO, and etc. I just kept a smile plastered on my face, willing myself not to say anything stupid. As soon as we left the line, waiters with white gloves were carrying trays of wine or champagne. When we walked farther into the party, there were massive ice sculptures which served as a martini luge in a variety of colors. There were food stations everywhere you walked. From Chinese to Italian stations. The Chinese station even gave you little take out boxes with chopsticks. There was a dessert bar with a chocolate fountain that was so tall, I couldn't even reach the top. There was a signature Norton drink that was delicious. I'm not sure exactly what was in it...but I did have two! There were several bands playing, but not so loud that you couldn't hear yourself speak. We saw so many people we knew and in fact, were one of the last couples to leave. I had more fun than I could have imagined. I told Chris that I want to come here every year. He smiled and put his hand in mine, as we waited for the valet to bring our car around.

Thunder Fun

Each year the Derby celebration is kicked off by a fireworks display. A huge fireworks display. It is the biggest single firework production in the country, and we are so lucky to have it basically in our backyard. For the past couple of years, we have made the fireworks an entire day celebration. We start the day at a baseball game, which happens to have wonderful views of the river where the fireworks are launched. The advantage of having tickets to the ball game is the fact that we have CLEAN bathrooms. Seriously, I would pay BIG money for clean bathrooms. Chris doesn't care, but it's not his butt touching the toilet. At the game we eat more junk food than one could possibly imagine, bask in the sun, and laugh with friends. Then once it gets dark, we huddle under blankets and wait for the magic in the sky to appear. It is a wonderful day, and this Thunder was not a disappointment. The weather was beautiful, my husband was by my side, my friends were with me, and the memory of how much Baylor hated fireworks brought an endless smile to my face. Some days, life is so GOOD.

Easter

Easter Lillies from Church

Easter Sunday was beautiful. In every aspect, from the sun warming my face to the laughter of my nieces echoing through the halls. If I could freeze certain moments in my life, and relive them over and over, calling them back to me, just like a familiar smell, I would choose this Easter. The warmth of my family surrounded me and the renewed faith of my once lost soul calmed me. For so long now, I have desperately struggled with my faith. After Harper died, I was lost. I was hanging by a very weak thread. I hated Him. And what He had done. To me. I hated going to church. And so I stopped. And I became lonely. I experienced a solitude unlike anything I had ever known. For where could I turn, when I turned my back on Him? Nowhere. There was nowhere for me to go. And I was drowning. I needed help. And then our Pastor called. In a sense, I fell to my knees. And I begged. And I shouted at the heavens for the injustice that had become my life. And I pounded my fists in anger. And the tears stained my cheeks. And then I took a deep breath. A really deep breath. And I opened my heart once again to Him. The next Sunday, we were in Church. And the Sunday after that. And so on. I'm not cured. I still have hard days. Some days it's all I can do to get myself out of the bed, put one foot in front of the other. But on other days I'm able to see the beauty of the world. To grasp it with both hands, the sheer elation of life. Of living. He is risen. And slowly now too, my hope rises with Him.

The program from church for Easter Sunday

In honor of Harper

In memory of Baylor

Yes....that is a real duck!