It Comes Natural

I have been saving this postcard postmarked 1918 for a special project. Today is not a project, but it is special. Steve and I celebrate our 8th anniversary today. I had been divorced for several years and was not looking for anyone, plus I had a rather long list that he had to meet to even be considered datable!!

I was looking for someone involved in church, that would accept my 3 children as their own, they couldn't have children from a previous marriage, had to have been divorced atleast 15 - 20 years (I didn't want to deal with an ex or their children), he had to have a long standing supporting job, no alcohol or drugs present or past and the list went on and on. Everyone said, you will never find anyone that meets ALL of that list. My response was always, then I'm not interested in them.

A mutual friend introduced us via the Internet one night while IMing and we talked for 3 hrs. I still had my guard up, but felt Ricky would not lead me down the wrong path. After many nights of IMing we decided to meet. We dated for several months before the kids met him as I didn't want them to get attached. The night they all met it was as if Steve had been around all their life. We started going to baseball games, school activities, church and etc, which was a rather long drive for him. He was living almost 2 hrs away but drove down for everything he possibly could. Christmas Eve 1998 brought snow, freezing rain and Steve to our door. Roads were closed in places....he drove for over 5 hrs to get to us. We all spent Christmas and the next 3 days together with no electricity. That was a real test and we all passed!!!!

He surprised me with a ring a few weeks later and plans began to be married March 13th. We started our honeymoon off in north Arkansas once again snowed in with no electricity! He moved his things into our home as he did not want to uproot the kids from the only home, school and friends they had ever know. Major adjustments had to come....it was our home and now we had to make it OUR home.

Any man that can come into a ready made family with 3 children ages 9, 10 and 14, AND is still around 8 years later deserves a metal. We all know the preteen and teenage years can be trying on an easy day. He told his mother when she asked him if he knew what he was getting into that no he didn't, but did she when she and his dad had the 3 of them!!! He now has 3 children that respect him and ask him for advice daily. There are times they would rather disappoint me than him.

Not only did he have 3 children, he had a wife that was self supporting, very opinionated, did not like to ask for help and could do most anything she set her mind to do. I didn't want to ask for anything and he wanted me to! I loved working outside the home, but an opportunity came 6 months after we were married that gave me the chance to work from home with my art on a full time basis and Steve encouraged it. He has been there through all the ups and down of trying to get an art career off the ground. He has pushed me when I didn't want to be pushed. He has held on lightly when I was heading in a direction he saw trouble. He has listened, he has questioned, he has given advice when asked and when I didn't want it. No matter what he has supported me.

This past weekend was my time to do whatever I wanted and we spent Saturday hitting antique shops, flea markets, yard sales and visiting the beach. We again went to the beach Sunday for the afternoon. He does not mind the shopping, he just does not like it when I am walking along and all of a sudden I come to a complete stop right in front of him because I spotted something!!!

We have no big plans for the day or night....he's at work, I'm home doing my thing and this afternoon we will follow the tennis team to Savannah. Our plan is to visit the beach again this weekend Saturday and/or Sunday for a sunrise or sunset and who knows maybe both.

Thank you Steve for 8 absolutely wonderful years.

Until next time.....I am working through the 300+ photos we took this past weekend and will share with you soon.

Debbie