I Walked Down the Aisle With a Compost Pile

Apparently compost piles can ski....really well...

John and I dated long distance. We had no choice - he was finishing up West Point and I had a lucrative substitute teacher gig. I'm not even being sarcastic there...I loved my permanent sub job in Lexington and there really wasn't much for me in Highland Falls, NY - so I "taught" and John studied and we saw each other when we could. Needless to say (and yet...here I am...saying it!) we were pretty much blind to any "real world" relationship foder and for that I say "AMEN!"....it was a fairy tale and I'm stickin' beside my theory that every relationship should be able to say that about itself at least ONCE.


We met about 18 years ago TODAY (insert wild applause) and how cool is it that I didn't know everything about him? I say "very cool"...because even though I have known my wonderful husband for 18 years...yesterday I was able to put a label on him like I have never been able to before. Don't jump ahead of me here...I know you want to...but I refuse. Just sit back down and I will set this up.



I am a serious "flash-in-the-pan" kind of girl. I am super impulsive with my emotions and decisoins and get worked up over all kinds of things. You name it...I'm in a tizzy about it....or I'm excited about it...or on my soapbox about it....or blogging about it...or sulking about it. Not a great quality but I am quite sure God knew what He was doing when He created me...and for that I say "THANK THE LORD!"...because someone NEEDS to be in charge.



John is my opposite. I did not always know this. Love blinded me and I thought we were exactly the same - such a silly young thing I was. I spent some of our first year of marriage bewildered. John would take his time making a decision and I would be running all around him, behind him, in front of him....saying "so....so....what do you think? Good idea? Bad idea? What should we do? ". John would say, "Give me a second." He has been this way for his whole life I bet - but I can



personally vouch for 18 years. Do you know - Can you even guess how many things we have

discussed in that time? How many egg shells, rotten tomatoes, coffee grounds, leftover macaroni and cheese - ETC - that I have thrown at my dear husband?? I'm going to spare you....it's been lots. And do you know what he has the nerve to do? Does he "talk it out"? No... Does he think for a brief moment (like 10 seconds) and give me a wise answer that blows me away? No... Does he think outloud and let me dodge around his thoughts? No... He....has....the....nerve....to....thoughtfully....consider....every....detail....and....when...the...time...is...right...give...me
....a....thoughtful....answer.

Does he know how short my attention span is? Aparently not.

However, I could just run up and hug God for giving John to me. If there was one thing I needed...it was a bonafide compost pile. John will not have any idle words to be judged on (only me...thank you...) and when you throw garbage in a compost pile (or cute little compost barrel from "Gardener's Supply") and you turn it like you are supposed to, and give it what it needs (mainly time...) out comes gorgeous, nutritious soil. How on earth did I get so lucky?

Well..I'll tell you how....I gave up on finding the perfect guy and asked God to take over. Huh?...what do you know?...He really is in charge!

And..aparently He knows when a girl needs someone who can take all the trash she dishes out and turn it into something useful. Cool...