under the stars

Girlfriend Chronicles continues...

Girlfriend didn't know what to expect. She had only camped maybe once before and now, not only was she going camping, but with boyfriend's family. She was a little frightened. But even more, she was excited, because it meant that she would be spending a whole week with boyfriend.

It was toward the end of a perfect summer. Boyfriend and girlfriend had started seeing each other and spending all their time together right after school got out in June. Boyfriend's family were big campers and were looking forward to the big trip planned with two other families. They were going someplace girlfriend had never heard of - Bishop. She didn't care where they were going or who they were going with. She was just thrilled to have been asked.

She soon learned that camping was pretty rugged. She slept in a sleeping bag on the ground in a huge army tent with the whole family. She ate a lot of hamburgers and hot dogs and even freshly caught fish. The worst part; no daily shower, which meant her long beautiful hair grew greasier with each passing day.

But there were so many beautiful and wonderful things. Girlfriend learned how to fish and since they were camped next to a lake, they fished several times a day. She marveled at the beauty of the mountains, the lakes, the trees, and the wildlife. There was the time spent with boyfriend's family and getting to know them better. She even had her hair hand washed by boyfriend and his mom (definite highlight!). And the evenings were the most special.

This is when boyfriend and girlfriend would lay on their backs and watch the stars in the endless black sea that was above them. They talked about anything and everything while watching for falling stars and picking out constellations. Even though they had been spending nearly every day with each other throughout the summer, this is where they shared their soul with each other; their fears, their hopes, their dreams, their past and the future. It bonded them for a lifetime.

So it was no surprise what else happened on this trip. Towards the end of the week, boyfriend and girlfriend were fishing in one of their favorite spots around the lake. To wile away some of the time, they started playing this little game where one would write letters on the other's back to spell out a word or sentence and the other would have to guess what was being spelled out.

Each took a turn or two when girlfriend realized exactly what she wanted to spell out on boyfriend's back. Without hesitation she started with the first letter, I.... then the second, L.... and continuing with O.... V.... E.... Y.... O.... U. Boyfriend turned around and simply said, "me, too" followed by a wonderful kiss.

And that is how girlfriend and boyfriend first proclaimed their love for each other. The trip was also the start of girlfriend's love for camping, for Bishop, and for boyfriend's family, who loved girlfriend before they even really knew her.

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link of the day:
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/CHOCOLATE/

happy anniversary

Girlfriend Chronicles continues...

Boyfriend picked up girlfriend right on time for their date. It was a special date. Not only were they going out to dinner at a nice restaurant, but they were celebrating the 6th anniversary of that fateful night when they first kissed. Every year, they remembered and celebrated June 23rd.

They made their way down towards the beach, towards the pier. Boyfriend planned this evening out all by himself and escorted girlfriend to a restaurant that they hadn't dined at before. The food was good, atmosphere nice, and the conversation flowed. After dinner they walked around the pier.

They had spent so much of their time down at this pier. It had a few nice restaurants, but it was more about the atmosphere. It was the place to go to be near the ocean and to be part of the buzz that was the pier - fishermen, shoppers, diners, young lovers, beach bums, families, surfers, tourists, and the people watchers all mingling together on old wooden planks held up by barnacle covered, wave beaten columns.

Boyfriend and girlfriend strolled hand in hand, in no hurry to go anywhere. They stopped to watch the local fishermen as they reeled in their catches. They went into a couple of the little shops, just to look around. They checked out the tanks full of crabs as they walked by the countless fish shanteys.

Eventually, boyfriend steered them over to an out-of-the-way spot to gaze out over the inky blue water and the beach beyond. They watched the last few die-hard beach goers play in the breaking waves or gather their belongings as the sun slowly set over the vast ocean. And as girlfriend was enjoying the view, the sounds, and the smells, boyfriend took her by surprise and asked her that all-important question...

"Will you marry me?"

Girlfriend must have said yes because if you fast-forward 27 1/2 years, you'll find boyfriend and girlfriend as happily married husband and wife. It's been a wonderful 27 years! Girlfriend has truly been blessed. Happy Anniversary, dear husband.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Show & Tell when wedding photos will be shared.

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link of the day:
http://www.homeword.com/

girlfriend's favorite christmas

continued from girlfriend reminisces...

The ride home from the grandparent's house was always a trip the girlfriend enjoyed. It took 30-40 minutes but was all on a few bigger streets and side streets - no freeways. It was always late at night, near midnight. Usually there wasn't much conversation in the car. It felt like a reverent silence for all the passengers as they stared out the car windows at all the Christmas lights and decorations. A time for inner reflection.

Of all the Christmases the girlfriend can remember, there is one that will forever remain as one of her favorites. It was a year when the girlfriend had her own apartment and lived by herself. As the car pulled up to boyfriend's house, his mom asked the girlfriend if she wanted to spend the night.

That one question could have been considered the best Christmas gift the girlfriend received that year. Of course, she said yes. She slept on the couch but felt it was more comfortable than her own bed. Maybe it was the gratitude she felt or the love that was extended to her that had her smugly tucked under the blanket and reflecting on the family that she had grown to love as her own.

As much as she loved falling asleep where she did, waking up where she did was even better. It was Christmas morning. There was the smell of cinnamon rolls baking and the anticipation of the day hanging in the air. Everyone grabbed a mug of hot chocolate and made their way into the family room where the tree displayed the wonderful abundance of gifts.

Besides the kitchen, the family room was the most used room in the house. Dad sat in "his" chair; a well worn recliner. Everyone else seemed to have their "regular" place where they sat. The girlfriend sat on the fireplace hearth, which was a bench in itself. There was a fire blazing and when there was a fire, this was her favorite place in the entire house.

As she participateed in the opening of gifts, she shared in the traditions of the family. Opening one gift at a time while everyone else watched. There was genuine appreciation as each person would get up and hug the person that gave the gift. The warmth the girlfriend felt was not just physical. It was the warmth of love that seeped into her bones and touched her heart in a way that she will never forget.

The girlfriend received the best gift that year and it wasn't anything she unwrapped.

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link of the day:
http://www.storycorps.net/

girlfriend reminisces

It was tradition. Every Christmas Eve was spent the same way for this family. First they would visit Grandma V. Grandma V. was a widow and lived in a small apartment. She would cook the evening's dinner containing the German favorites of the family. The girlfriend didn't really care for the cuisine, but what could she do but politely accept what was put in front of her. She would eat as little as possible without making it look obvious that she didn't like it.

Then it was time to open the exchanged gifts. Of course, that is what the kids were there for in the first place. Grandma worked in a big department store, so most of the gifts she gave to her family were from the store, which was fine and usually very nice. A little more conversation was batted back and forth before it was time to say farewell - until the next day, Christmas, when the family would see her again at their home.

From there, the family and the girlfriend would travel across town to Grandpa and Grandma T's home. There, that whole side of the family would be gathered. The contrasts between the two visits were deep and wide. Quiet, subdued, and somewhat uncomfortable to loud, crowded, and fun.

It was a large family and the girlfriend loved this. Along with grandma and grandpa, there were aunts and uncles, and cousins galore. Girlfriend didn't have any cousins so this was something she had never experienced. She loved watching the interaction and the closeness of everyone. And it was a good thing they all got along because there were so many crammed into grandma and grandpa's living room, they were practically sitting on each other's laps. Once everyone had arrived, the gifts were exchanged - and it got even chaotic in that little room.

As the conversations flowed, so did the love. Even though the girlfriend wasn't a member of this family, she not only felt accepted, but a part of this large, loving family. She felt that way the first time she took part in this Christmas Eve tradition, and it only grew more so with every year after that.

to be continued...

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link of the day:
http://downloads.raileurope.com/holidayCard/06_christmas_card.html