5 Years Already?

I've been meaning to write about this for at least two months - but didn't. The cast net story was much too good to pass up and whenever I get a minute to write, I don't want to disappoint.

August 16, 2003 was a fun day. I was living in Pensacola, FL. Sarah and I had been dating for a while now. I knew Sarah was supposed to be my wife. My Grandmother (Nanny) is still convinced that she "prayed" Sarah to me......at this point, I'm pretty sure I agree with her because I am a lot to deal with - lol. Sarah and I had all the appropriate talks, played all the silly question and answer games where I would ask the most ambiguous questions which were obviously about me, but I was "hypothetically" asking them. You know the type...."So Sarah, what qualities do you want your future husband to have?" And then checking-off, in my head, the qualities I possessed - while forcing myself to believe I had all the others too.

So...it was Saturday and I decided that today would be the day I asked Sarah to marry me. Since we had already discussed marriage, she knew I had a ring. She was simply waiting for the day I was going to give it to her. Those of you that know me know that I am the absolute worst secret-keeper in the world. For example, when I buy Sarah's Christmas gift, I usually give it to her the next day. I can't help it!!!!!

So back to the ring. I had it...and it was stunning!!!!! Well, it still is stunning. I had it hiding in a drawer in my room. I looked at it everyday. I think I cleaned it every three days because I wanted it to be perfect for her. So since she knows we're getting married, she decided to go dress shopping. That's right - wedding dress shopping - with no engagement ring. Funny. So she and our good friend "Boopa" came back from dress shopping and apparently "she found it". I laughed so hard just thinking what she must have looked like in the bridal boutique...."well, yes ma'am, I know we're getting married, I just don't have a ring yet, that's all."

I saw when they pulled up in the car and I ran and put the ring in my back pocket. She came in and we decided to go downtown for lunch at one of our favorite places Dharma Blue. On the way down, Sarah was like a school girl asking for the ring and hitting my pockets to try and feel it, which she never could because it was in the back pocket - ha ha ha. So I really played it up. I was trying to sound irritated like..."well, if you want me to go back and get it, I will, but it won't be a surprise." She said disappointedly, "no, that's ok...I'll just wait."

So we made it downtown and I started walking toward the park instead of the restaurant. I was like "let's go walk through the park" - which should have been a major red flag since I don't ever want to walk anywhere. So we did and sat on a bench and I pulled out a card and asked her to read it. It was a sweet card, nothing overly dramatic. She thought it was sweet and thanked me for it. Then I pulled out another card and asked her to read it out loud. It of course said, "will you marry me?" While she was reading, I was on my knee with her ring.

She said yes - obviously.

We had lunch, picked out invitations and secured a location all in the same day! We were a power-shopping-pre-wedding couple!!! We had a great engagement that taught us a lot about love and each other. We had a beautiful wedding with all our family and friends at a beautiful spot. It was exactly what we wanted.

We have now grown to a home-owning couple with a seven month old sweet baby and the cutest puppy (3 years old) around. I love Sarah today more than ever. We are the best of friends. We know each other better than anyone else. I can't believe it's been five years since our engagement and almost five (May 22) since our wedding day. I couldn't have picked a better wife - well, I didn't. God did.

I'm so happy I have her - forever!

Southern Slang

Hi......

It's been a while, I know. No excuses.

So....I've had this conversation with several people I know and I always come to the same conclusion every time - I don't know how to speak southern slang.

Now let me say this....I am a PROUD southerner. I love my heritage, values, beliefs, ethics, everything that exemplifies what a southerner is. I love sweet tea, collard greens - or any vegetable cooked with a bone or bacon in it, fried chicken, church, manners etc. However, I have always struggled with the topic of slang, but southern slang in general.

Picture this.....

I'm at a gas station today (just minutes ago actually) pumping gas and a truck pulls up at the adjoining pump. A nice gentleman gets out, looks at me, spits on the ground and says "ah-ight nahw." Loosely translated to mean, "all right now." I look at him, smile, and say, "hi." I mean....all right now, what?....how do I answer that? Should I have given him the "what-up head tilt" and then spit on the ground? This is a whole other problem because my body doesn't produce a lot of saliva. I have a dry mouth...sorta like a classification of certain St. Bernard dogs. Anyway....

He spits on the ground again and then says, "whatcha know good?" I mean....what do I know good? I know a lot of good things. Does he want me to talk about Celie? Doubtful. Does he want me to talk about what a wonderful mommy Sarah has become? I'll give you a guess - negative. So I stutter and fumble around on my words - which is rare - and say, "it's a beautiful day." Ah, the weather talk - which I never do. People here in my office LOVE to talk weather. I think it's a senior citizen or very bored person thing to do. I personally do not talk weather as the subject is finite. It's either, pretty or ugly; hot, cold or perfect; sunny or raining. I really don't care about the weather to be honest so I don't "talk it."

So the gentleman says, "it sure is. You cast net?" Do I cast net? I'll give you a moment to laugh. Those of you that know me know that I do not cast net. And for those of you who don't know what that means, it's simply wading in thigh to waist deep shark-infested water and throwing a net (like a native) into the water and hoping to have a fish in it when you pull it up. By fish, I mean mullet typically. I hate mullet. It's gross to me.

So I say, "no sir, I don't cast net." He says, "well why not? There's some good eatin' to be done." Oh my. What to do, what to do? I certainly can't tell him that:
1) I don't eat mullet
2) I'm borderline terrified to wade into deep water during "feeding time"
3) I wouldn't know how to "work" a cast net if my life depended on it

So I think...AH HA! I'll blame everything on Celie! She's the perfect scapegoat for all of this. She's only seven months old and can take the blame for anything.

"Well, I really don't have time. You see, we just had our first baby this year and we like to spend time with her when we get home and on the weekends so really cast netting is really out of the picture."

He retorts: "Awww, get that baby out there and teach him how to throw a net. He'll need to know how to skin a mullet anyway."

omg, omg, omg, omg - how is the gas taking so long????????

I say: "Oh, she's a little girl....did I mention she's only seven months old?"

He says: "Oh, a girl....well (long pause)........ she'll need to know how to cook 'em and clean up after 'em."

God in Heaven help me.

So at this point, I look at him and just uncomfortably chuckle. I mean, my word!!! By this point I'm hoping that he's forgotten that I'm standing there with him. He then says, "well, whut chew thank about all this bankin' bizness? I dun toll my wife to close my account at the bank. I'm gone start keeping my money at the house."

CLICK - gas pumping over (thank you Lord)

I say, "well, it's certainly a serious problem that needs to be fixed. You have a great afternoon and good luck with your net, uh, casting, um, cast net, cast netting, fishing, whatever!"