day 11: merry kissmas

yesterday the littlest said, "mom, if someone got married on christmas, we could say 'merry kissmas'." it made me think of a couple who got married close to christmas several years ago.

dear me. this is one from the vault.

leigh ann and i met in high school when we were in the same science class. she was smart enough to take a class in a grade above. i was just happy to have mr. steed, a resolutely docile science teacher with the patience of job. leigh ann and i hit it off and became fast friends sharing biology notes and weekend adventures that usually involved a movie with a package of skittles. she was best friends with me and the Mister. when he decided to propose, leigh ann helped. she wrapped him in a box and drove away leaving him on my mother's front porch. and then she phoned to tell me to go outside. it seems trite to say, but i remember that phone call as clear as if it were yesterday. when someone calls you at 2 am, it's memorable. and upon our engagement, i remember overhearing her say, "i don't know if i should be a groomsman or a bridesmaid". she settled on wearing a dress and being a bridesmaid.

this smart, small town girl went on to pharmacy school and lived away from our hometown for many years. but something brought her back. and being back was what led her to meet her future family.

he was a precious widower with a darling daughter. an attorney with stalwart integrity who once chased down a petty criminal and drove him to the police station unbeknownst to this peeping tom. 

as stepmothers go, i do not know of any good ones. it's been my experience that they are all pretty much like the evil ones from the fairy tales. and i've even known one or two who make the ones in fairy tales look tame. but leigh ann is the exception. and let's just go ahead and cut the word stepmother out of the conversation while we are at it. it really isn't a fitting title for this woman who is the only mother a young girl ever really knew.

the couple who married shortly after christmas many, many years ago with a daughter as the flower girl added 3 more little girls to the mix shortly thereafter. we laugh. she has 4 girls. i have 4 boys. 

us all these years later

leigh ann reminds me that sometimes the best parts of life are the ones that come together through incredible circumstances. we cannot always celebrate tragedy. nor should we. but when tragedy gives way to joy, well that is a fairy tale worth believing because it's true, hard, but true.

happy 12th anniversary, dale and lu. we love you lots.

xo,

gf