I was looking at facebook this morning and came upon pictures of one of my old high school boyfriends with his family. For years I have always wanted to write him, and tell him how much he impacted my life.
I started dating him the Spring of my Freshman year of High School. He was a Senior. I was a very naive and immature freshman, who loved the attention from the upperclassman. I can still remember one of our first dates, he brought me lilacs wrapped in tin foil, and we went to see Donna Summer in the movie "Thank God its Friday" On the drive home he asked me if I would like to go watch the submarine races with him....an in my naitivity, I said, "Sure where are they? and what are they?" he kind of shrugged it off, and said never mind and drove me home. The poor guy didn't even get a kiss goodnight. I was so young and innocent, and I had never kissed a boy before, so I didn't know what was expected of me.
We continued to go on dates, and I'm not sure we ever even held hands. At 15, I think the term they would use for me back then would have been "Tease", but I didn't even know what that meant. I had a nice figure, and I was a huge flirt, but I had no idea what being a "tease" really meant. What I do know is that in this Seniors infinite wisdom, he saw beyond all that, and always treated me with the utmost respect and dignity. We dated on and off for about 2 years, and in all that time, we never did go to "The Submarine Races". We spent alot of time just watching movies, and talking, and writing letters when he went off to College. In those letters I would write that I loved him, but even back then, I was so naive, I didn't really know what love was.
What I did love, and now know, understand and appreciate, is that this man of 18 was my first real High School relationship, and he was a" True Gentleman." He could have taken advantage of my naitivity, he could have been more aggressive, and pushed the boundries, but he didn't, and because of him, I learned so much about what I wanted from a relationship.
In my Junior year of High School, I met my then boyfriend (now husband), When we began dating, we only held hands at first, and I remember being so nervous for our first kiss. I learned alot from the "Senior" and that was that I should never do anything until I was ready.....so when I kissed my boyfriend my Junior year in High School...I was ready for that kiss. My boyfriend (now husband Donnie) and I talked about everything, and he too was a real "Gentleman" and never pushed the boundries. We took things slow, and I never felt any pressure to do anything I wasn't ready for.
I was a truly lucky teenager, to have had two true gentlemen in my life. When my daughters and sons were old enough, and getting into their teenage years, I would share with them the story of my first real High School relationship with a Senior boy, and how much he respected me. I would also share with them the story of how their Dad and I came to be, and how much their Dad respected me. I think it is because of my first relationship, that my relationship with my now husband is what it is today. I learned at the young age of 15, that I was worth respecting, and when Donnie and I started dating at 16, that sense of self respect stayed with me.
Respect is a hard thing to find in this day and age, but I know that my 24 year old son is a respectful and True Gentleman to his wife, my 25 year old son is a respectful and True Gentleman to his girlfriend of 8 years, and I wish for my daughters to all find love and respect with their own future True Gentlemen.
In ending, though he may never read this.....I am grateful to you (my Senior boyfriend) for how you treated me a young and naive 15 year old with kindess and respect. I can see by the pictures you post, that you are happy and have a great family today. They are truly lucky to have you....a True Gentleman.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Pot to Pi** In
This past weekend, My husband and I attended the wedding of our daughter Danielle's Kindergarten best friend. It was a beautiful wedding, and I couldn't help tearing up as I watched this girl I have known since she was 5 years old marry her college sweetheart (who by the way was also my daughters 9th grade crush).
I talked to many people in the course of the evening, the wedding had over 300 guests and it was like a Newton reunion of sorts. Two of the conversations I had stayed with me.
One of the conversations I had was with one of Danielle's college roommates boyfriends. We were talking about love and relationships in the church while waiting for the wedding to begin, and he said, that there was no real right or wrong time or age for when people fall in love. We talked about how, my husband and I were High School sweethearts, and how my son at 23 married his high school girlfriend, and that when the right one came along, then that was the "right" time. He spoke lovingly about loving his girlfriend, and for them, I hope that their "right" time is now. They are adorable together.
The other conversation and it pertains to title of my blogpost today, was with a girl that went to elementary school with Danielle. I taught her religious education when they were in high school. She got married only last month, and when I saw her at the wedding she said, that she never forgot something I said when I was teaching her religious ed. I told my students that Donnie and I didn't have a "Pot to Piss In", but what we had was Love! She said she has never forgotten that, and that she remembered it right up to when she married her husband. I told her at the wedding, that after 29 years of marriage, Donnie and I still don't have a "Pot........", but we still have an abundance of Love, and as I hugged her, I wished for her and her husband to always have an abundance of Love.
I don't think that money makes a marriage. Danielle's kindergarten friend and her new husband have started their marriage already owning a home, and they both have great jobs. My son and his wife are living with her parents to save money, so that he can get his Masters in the fall. My cousins son who got married last year after only knowing his wife for six months are expecting their first child and live in army housing. Couples today are getting married with huge college loans, many couples start their married lives off in various stages of financial circumstances. None of these financial things are what truly matter. What truly matters is the Love, and who is to judge which couple is doing it right? If the Love is real, and the relationship is strong, then the couple is truly blessed in abundance. There is no dollar sign to the gift of an abundance of Love.
I may still not have that "Pot....." but I am rich beyond measure, and I wish for all newly wed couples, that they too find their abundance of Love so that they too, can be rich beyond measure.
I talked to many people in the course of the evening, the wedding had over 300 guests and it was like a Newton reunion of sorts. Two of the conversations I had stayed with me.
One of the conversations I had was with one of Danielle's college roommates boyfriends. We were talking about love and relationships in the church while waiting for the wedding to begin, and he said, that there was no real right or wrong time or age for when people fall in love. We talked about how, my husband and I were High School sweethearts, and how my son at 23 married his high school girlfriend, and that when the right one came along, then that was the "right" time. He spoke lovingly about loving his girlfriend, and for them, I hope that their "right" time is now. They are adorable together.
The other conversation and it pertains to title of my blogpost today, was with a girl that went to elementary school with Danielle. I taught her religious education when they were in high school. She got married only last month, and when I saw her at the wedding she said, that she never forgot something I said when I was teaching her religious ed. I told my students that Donnie and I didn't have a "Pot to Piss In", but what we had was Love! She said she has never forgotten that, and that she remembered it right up to when she married her husband. I told her at the wedding, that after 29 years of marriage, Donnie and I still don't have a "Pot........", but we still have an abundance of Love, and as I hugged her, I wished for her and her husband to always have an abundance of Love.
I don't think that money makes a marriage. Danielle's kindergarten friend and her new husband have started their marriage already owning a home, and they both have great jobs. My son and his wife are living with her parents to save money, so that he can get his Masters in the fall. My cousins son who got married last year after only knowing his wife for six months are expecting their first child and live in army housing. Couples today are getting married with huge college loans, many couples start their married lives off in various stages of financial circumstances. None of these financial things are what truly matter. What truly matters is the Love, and who is to judge which couple is doing it right? If the Love is real, and the relationship is strong, then the couple is truly blessed in abundance. There is no dollar sign to the gift of an abundance of Love.
I may still not have that "Pot....." but I am rich beyond measure, and I wish for all newly wed couples, that they too find their abundance of Love so that they too, can be rich beyond measure.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Commencement
Commencement means to begin. As our youngest daughter graduates from High School, she gets ready to begin a new and exciting adventure as she enters College in the Fall.
Me and Donnie get to celebrate Commencement as well. We will begin the new phase of our life now that all of our children are out of High School and moving forward into their adult life adventures.
What does all this mean? I have no clue, because life is a succession of commencements. Birth marks the commencement of life, Kindergarten marks the commencement of Elementary school, and then their is the commencement of Middle School and High School. These beginnings lead towards College, First jobs, Marriages, Children, Grandchildren, and so goes the Commencement of the Circle of Life.
So as Janie commences the next stage of her life, I look forward to whatever new commencements (beginnings) lie ahead for me and Donnie.
Me and Donnie get to celebrate Commencement as well. We will begin the new phase of our life now that all of our children are out of High School and moving forward into their adult life adventures.
What does all this mean? I have no clue, because life is a succession of commencements. Birth marks the commencement of life, Kindergarten marks the commencement of Elementary school, and then their is the commencement of Middle School and High School. These beginnings lead towards College, First jobs, Marriages, Children, Grandchildren, and so goes the Commencement of the Circle of Life.
So as Janie commences the next stage of her life, I look forward to whatever new commencements (beginnings) lie ahead for me and Donnie.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The Last Prom?
Last night we watched our fifth child get ready and go to her Senior Prom. She looked beautiful, but then again, I'm her mother and I am biased. All five of my children looked beautiful on their prom days, and between the five of them, they went to a total of 10 proms, 5 junior proms and 5 senior proms.
It seems like only yesterday, that I went to my junior and senior proms with their father. I can close my eyes, and still see Donnie in his white tux and peach ruffled shirt to match my peach prom dress for our junior prom as we took pictures by my parents lilac tree. For our senior prom he wore a black tux with pink to match my pink princess prom gown. (On a side note, I totally hated my hair for senior prom, who ever thought a big bun on top of your head was pretty.....it was awful....but Donnie still thought I looked beautiful, and that is all that really matters ). I think every boy and girl looks beautiful on prom night.
I thought I would cry last night, as I watched my baby getting ready for her prom, with her two older sisters there to support her, but the tears didn't come. I kept thinking....this is the last prom for my children, shouldn't I be sad. I wasn't sad, I was filled with love and joy, because I know that this isn't the last prom. Donnie's 100 year old grandmother was there to see Jane off to her prom last night, and she has seen her two daughters proms, her 9 grandchildrens many proms, and including Jane, she has now seen 16 of her 21 great grandchildrens proms. I wonder if she ever thought she saw the last prom when her baby (my mother-in-law, who by the way went to both her proms with my father-in-law) went to her senior prom. Well if she did think that, we now know that that is not true. In the circle of life, the proms never end. I hope to see many more proms, as I someday become a grandmother, and with gods blessings, maybe a great grandmother too!
I am so grateful and blessed to have Donnie's grandmother in my life and in my childrens lives, she reminds me that there are no last proms....only many more first proms to come.
It seems like only yesterday, that I went to my junior and senior proms with their father. I can close my eyes, and still see Donnie in his white tux and peach ruffled shirt to match my peach prom dress for our junior prom as we took pictures by my parents lilac tree. For our senior prom he wore a black tux with pink to match my pink princess prom gown. (On a side note, I totally hated my hair for senior prom, who ever thought a big bun on top of your head was pretty.....it was awful....but Donnie still thought I looked beautiful, and that is all that really matters ). I think every boy and girl looks beautiful on prom night.
I thought I would cry last night, as I watched my baby getting ready for her prom, with her two older sisters there to support her, but the tears didn't come. I kept thinking....this is the last prom for my children, shouldn't I be sad. I wasn't sad, I was filled with love and joy, because I know that this isn't the last prom. Donnie's 100 year old grandmother was there to see Jane off to her prom last night, and she has seen her two daughters proms, her 9 grandchildrens many proms, and including Jane, she has now seen 16 of her 21 great grandchildrens proms. I wonder if she ever thought she saw the last prom when her baby (my mother-in-law, who by the way went to both her proms with my father-in-law) went to her senior prom. Well if she did think that, we now know that that is not true. In the circle of life, the proms never end. I hope to see many more proms, as I someday become a grandmother, and with gods blessings, maybe a great grandmother too!
I am so grateful and blessed to have Donnie's grandmother in my life and in my childrens lives, she reminds me that there are no last proms....only many more first proms to come.
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