Lemonade and Love

Looking back, there was a moment. It was a fast moment, one of those life or death, decision making moments that changes things forever. You see, when I first met Joe, I liked him enough. But, I wasn't sure I "liked him like that". I mean, he was a nice guy, but I wasn't into nice guys back then. But then there was a moment. A breath-taking moment that I was reminded of today. I passed a lemonade stand today and I had a flashback of a day much like today. We were in the car driving through a neighborhood on a hot, sunny day. It was 8 years ago, maybe to the day, who knows! There were these kids outside with a typical lemonade stand. Joe saw them and stopped the car, got out, and bought two lemonades. He told those girls to keep the change from a large bill, the value of which I can't recall, but the gesture touched my heart. I knew then and there that I was done with the jerks. And more than that, I loved this man. He had a kind heart. And for that, I loved him.

Tonight there was another moment like that. Tonight, Danielle, you asked me what it was like to be married, and I said that it was different and a lot about compromise. But, I left out the part where there are still moments that take your breath away and make your heart melt into a big glob of mush.

This evening, Joe gave Laney a bottle before bed. She was a crabby bear most of the evening. She was TIRED. But Joe has a ton of patience with her, and he made her a bottle, took it into her room, and sat next to her crib and gave her the bottle. When she finished, he brought the bottle into the kitchen where I was cleaning the days worth of bottles. I looked at him and could see his face was damp. I asked him why he was crying. He denied having cried, so knowing he was lying, I asked again, why he was crying. He said these beautiful words, "Because when I finished giving her the ba, she turned toward me, smiled, and said "Goo" like she was doing it just for me, just because I was there." And again, my heart melted.

Yes, that man can get on my nerves and sometimes I don't know what keeps me from going off the deep end when he leaves his messes everywhere. Yes, he drives me bonkers on the weekends with his incessant "relaxation". But then, he makes up for it when he allows me to fall in love with him all over again.