MarytheKaytheBlog

Celebrating the first day of school...back in the good ole days

In honor of schools everywhere starting this week and next, I thought it would be fun to take a step back in time... 

I promise you--you cannot watch this without smiling, and giggling.

 

Just wondering...how does your family celebrate the first day of school?

Yummy Bites of Summer

  
As summer is winding down, I wanted to share a recipe to help you soak up the last bit of summer sweetness.  Ohmygoodnessgracious--this Apple Berry Salsa with Cinnamon Chips recipe is TO DIE FOR. 

One of the sweetest ladies in the world brought a batch of this to Dave and me this summer at camp, and once I took the first bite, it was like I was instantly ADDICTED.  I couldn't stop taking "just one more bite."  The combination of fruits in this recipe makes it taste like the yummiest, healthiest bites of summer ever!  Miss Vicki was kind enough to share her recipe.  I promise you--if you make this, you will want to write Miss Vicki some fan mail!

Let me know if you make this--I'd love to hear what you think!

Apple Berry Salsa

2 Medium Granny Smith apples

 1 Pint Strawberries, diced (about 1 1/2 Cups)

 2 Kiwi, peeled and diced

 1 Small Orange

2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons apple jelly or apricot Jam

1. Peel, core, and slice apples. Coarsely chop apple slices. Dice strawberries and kiwi. Place in bowl.

2. Zest orange to measure 1 teaspoon zest. Juice orange to measure 2 tablespoons juice. Add orange zest, juice, and brown sugar and jelly to fruit mixture; mix gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

Baked Cinnamon Chips

 8 (7-inch) flour tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut each tortilla into eight wedges in a single layer on baking sheet.

2. Lightly spray tortillas with water. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon in shaker. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over tortilla wedges.

3. Bake for 8-10 min. or until light brown.

4. Cool completely.

 

Do you have a favorite summer recipe?

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A New School Year!

 Well, today was a big day around our house...

Where does the time go?  Seems like just yesterday, my 6th grader was a fuzzy-headed smiley blond baby.  And my 1st grader was a little thing clinging to my leg with all her might--and today, she couldn't get me to leave quick enough! 

 Sara Beth was SO glad to have some good friends in her class!  There's one right there--in their matching purple shirts.  Shh, don't tell anyone...but I betcha Sara Beth will wear that purple shirt every single day of the year.  (2 days/week)  Why do I think so?  Because she did it last year.  She only wore her pink shirt once last year...and that was after her mother MADE her.  After that, her mother got smart, and just washed the shirt twice a week.

 Ah, and there's most of Rebecca's 6th grade class.  It's a smaller group than last year.  But, already Rebecca came home today excited about her class and her teacher.  She went to school in the morning worried and nervous, but came home feeling very happy and positive about the year ahead!  What an answer to prayer already!  

The true test will come tomorrow, as we start the homeschooling part of our year.  I'm praying for positive attitudes as two sleepyheads make their way to our dining room table.  Oh wait--make that THREE sleepyheads.  I forgot about the teacher!

 

Has your school year started yet?  Do you have some specific prayers for your kids this school year? 

My Quick Go-To Dinners

In honor of back-to-school week, and especially in honor of my sister, who is starting a brand new job as a 5th grade teacher, I thought it would be helpful to post my favorite--and fastest--dinners for a busy school night.  I know I'm always looking for dinner inspiration, especially if it is speedy-quick, and uses normal ingredients I already have.

These are my favorite go-to dinners:

 

1.  Make your own pizza night!  Otherwise known as:  Mama's too busy to cook, so let's all pitch in!

Ingredients:  Pita bread (for the crust), pizza sauce in a jar, shredded mozzerella, other cheese ('cause Mama likes fancy pizza!  I love goat cheese, or even a shredded 5-cheese blend), pepperoni, other toppings (tomatoes, green peppers, sausage, pineapple)

Instructions:  Everyone assembles their own pizzas, puts them on a baking sheet, and mama bakes them at 400, until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.  If mama is so inclined, she serves some bag salad or carrot sticks and ranch on the side.

 

2. Chicken and Noodles in the Crockpot, otherwise known as "How's Yer Whatachicken?"

 Ingredients:  3-4 (boneless/skinless) frozen chicken breasts, 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 1 can of chicken broth (not pictured-sorry!), 3/4 bag of wide egg noodles (also not pictured...fire the photog!), seasonings (pepper, celery seed, garlic powder)

Instructions:  (Feel free to read the extended version here!)  Put 3-4 frozen boneless/skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot and cover with 2 cans of cream of chicken soup.  Sometimes, (thanks to my friend Dawn) I mix 1 can cream of chicken with 1 can cream of celery.  Add some seasonings to the soup--quite a few shakes of pepper, and a couple of shakes each of celery seed and garlic powder, and a shake of salt.  Cook on low all day. 

About 30 minutes before dinnertime, boil 3/4 bag of wide egg noodles on the stove, and drain.  Pull the chicken out of the crockpot and shred.  Put chicken back in crockpot and add noodles and chicken broth.  Add less broth if you want more of a "casserole" texture, more broth if you'd rather more of a "soup" consistency.  Add more pepper if it tastes too bland.  I promise you--this is a COMFORT DISH DELUXE!!!  Warning--It will remind you of your grandmother's chicken and dumplings, and will make you cry tears of joy.

 

3. Breakfast for dinner, otherwise known as the pantry's empty...what in the world can I serve???

Ingredients:  eggs, grated sharp cheddar cheese, bacon or sausage, bread for toasting--or pancake mix.  Basically, whatever I have on-hand.

Instructions:  What is more comforting than breakfast for dinner?  Yum.  I like adding grated sharp cheddar cheese to the top of my scrambled eggs--just to make them more special for dinner.  I also like to fry up some bacon or sausage, if I have them.  If not, it's just cheesy scrambled eggs and toast.  Or pancakes, if that's what I have.  I also like to serve orange juice in fancy glasses--'cause as you can tell, I am a fancy kind of girl.

 

4.  Meatballs and sticky rice, otherwise known as my picky daughter's favorite meal.

Ingredients:  Bag 'o meatballs (you snobby people--those are in the freezer section, next to the Bagel Bites.  If you don't know what those are either, then let me just warn you--they are not located in the organic section.  They are, however, delicious.  And fast)  BBQ sauce (or Pioneer Woman's version--which is divine!!  I use her sauce recipe with the frozen, pre-made meatballs), and rice.

Instructions:  Pour a load o' meatballs into a casserole dish, and microwave them a bit to thaw them.  Pour sauce over them (Pioneer Woman's sauce, if you're fancy like me...which is only ketchup, vinegar, sugar, worcestershire sauce, diced onions, garlic powder, and pepper), and put in the oven at 350 and bake for 20 minutes.  (The meatballs are pre-cooked--you're just getting them hot and flavorful!) Your family will kiss your feet because the house smells so good.  (I hope your feet are clean.)  For picky eaters, like my darling daughter, serve them with toothpicks sticking in them.  Who knew that toothpicks could entice a child to eat beef?  It's a culinary miracle.

Now, you can just make regular old boring rice.  OR, you could make my FAVORITE version of rice--what I like to call STICKY RICE.  (Yes, I am yelling at you.)  You can ask my family--I am kind of a sticky rice groupie.  I know this rice takes a few extra steps, but it is totally worth it.  Oh, and just so I don't seem like a total loser, I should tell you that I do serve a green vegetable with this meal.  Usually green beans, which I completely drain, add water, and season with a chicken bouillon cube, some sugar, and pepper.  Delish.  And...serve them also with toothpicks, if it helps.

 

5.  Chef salads, otherwise known as fast dinner that makes mom look like a health rockstar!

 Ingredients:  Bag 'o salad for the fast version, bag 'o spinach salad for the healthier version, or hand-torn lettuce for the ladies with too much time on their hands, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, boiled eggs, sliced turkey or ham, block of cheese (sharp cheddar for me, please!)

Instructions:  Chef salads are a great staple meal because they use everything I keep on-hand to make lunches--with the addition of lettuce.  You can make these for your family, or you could set out the ingredients, and let everyone make her own.  The only things you need to do ahead of time are wash the salad stuff, boil the eggs, and slice up the turkey/ham and cheese and salad items.

 

6.  Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, otherwise known as a last resort meal!

Ingredients:  Campbell's tomato soup, basil, pepper, bread, cheese

Instructions:  Heat up the Campbell's soup (I like water in mine, verses milk), add some dried basil and pepper.  Make some yummy grilled cheese.  To amp up the grilled cheese, add 2 kinds of cheese--swiss and cheddar are my favorites!  If I'm out of bread, I also make cheese quesadillas, using flour tortillas.  (Which I love...because then I can tell my kids, "Eat your dang quesadillas, Tina!")

What are your favorite go-to dinners?

Some thoughts about The Help

 
I got to see the brand new movie The Help last night, and I LOVED it!  I was nervous beforehand--because I had fallen in love with the characters and the story when I read the book a couple of years ago.  I was nervous the movie wouldn't measure up.  But, it was wonderful!  It far exceeded my expectations!  I laughed and laughed, and cried.  One time, I even nearly started crying out loud.  Really--if you have a chance--you should not miss this movie.  You can't help but be inspired by its message of having the courage to do what is right, even when unpopular, or even illegal.

Now, I have hesitated a dozen times today in writing some personal thoughts about the movie's theme...  Mostly, because I do not want to diminish the movie--or the story--one bit.  Both are well-written, and wonderful depictions of the Civil Rights South.

However. 

I do hope everyone understands--especially non-Southerners--that every period of history has its group of small-minded people.  There have been bigots and horrible people since the beginning of time.  And, certainly, we have our share of selfish, self-serving, and downright mean people today.

But, let's please not forget that since the beginning of time, there have also been loving people, people with courage, and people with the moral conviction to make the hard choices.  Where would we be today without our heroes throughout history, shining light on the moral paths?

I just hope the people watching The Help understand that although the Civil Rights South is a dark spot in our country's history and a sorrowful time for so many black people; that not all the white people living in that era were like "Hilly" in the movie.   

My family had maids.  We NEVER ONCE referred to them as "the help."  We wouldn't even have considered it.  I cringe just to write those words.  We only called our maids by their names, and we loved them like our own family.  I can remember wanting to stay home from school some days--just so I could sit on my bed and get to be with Erma while she ironed in my bedroom.

And that sentiment didn't change as we grew up, like the movie talks about.  I remember many Sundays when we'd sit around Miss Lillian's tiny living room--the Miss Lillian that my daddy adored, because she helped raise him after his mom died, and before his dad remarried.  We loved hearing Miss Lillian tell stories about our dad as a little boy.  She always had a gleam in her eye, and wide toothy smile when she'd tell those stories.

The whole time I was watching The Help, I tried to remember families in my hometown who may have acted as horribly as Hilly and her husband.  I realize that I grew up in the decade after the Civil Rights Movement, so either bigotry to that degree had dissolved by then in our town, or maybe my family just didn't associate with people like that?  Certainly, there was still some personal prejudice I remember.  But I never saw anyone treated like the maids in the movie. 

Through the years, I've visited a lot about this subject with my dad, who also grew up in our Southern hometown.   He said he and his friends just didn't know what was going on at the time--they didn't know or understand how bad things were in towns like Jackson and Montgomery.  They saw terrible images on the news, but none of it related to anything they experienced in their town.  They didn't really think about having separate schools, water fountains, or movie entrances.  That's just the way things had always been.  They didn't know life could be any different. 

Dad's family had a black man named Mose who worked in their yard and around the house for years and years.  To say my dad loved Mose is an understatement.  Mose was his companion, his teacher of songs and phrases, his story-teller, and most importantly, his friend.  Dad says the only time he really wondered why things were "different" was when his parents were out-of-town, and Mose would stay overnight with the kids.  Dad said he never understood why Mose wouldn't sleep in a bed, or even sit on any of the furniture in the house.  He would really nag Mose to sleep in a bed--but Mose never would, he always said he was more comfortable on the floor, right next to my dad's bed.  Dad says he's sure his parents never told Mose he couldn't sit on the furniture, or sleep in a bed.  That's just the way things were then. 

"That's just the way things are" is a good sign it's time to start a movement...like the Civil Rights Movement.  People--kind-hearted and evil alike--may be blind to a different and better way to live.  Our country needed men and women like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks to shake things up, and shine light on a better path.

But, even though we need a hero to shine a light on a better path, that doesn't mean the hero is the only good guy around.  Sometimes, it's just the hero that is the visionary to point to the moral path, that even the good guys are blind to.  Oh, sure, there are always selfish and evil people blocking the way to every moral path.  But, there are also kind-hearted, well-meaning people who will move toward the moral path, once it's pointed out.

Man, I sound like I'm preaching now!!  Preach it, Sista Kay!

It does make me wonder, though...   Who is our hero of this age? 

And what is the moral path we should be following?

There's a PARTY in my Tummy...

C'mon--sing along with me!!!  "There's a party in my tummy, so yummy so yummy..."

I know I should have more mature-sounding titles... But, when I find a new product I love, I just get all giddy!  I can't help myself. 

And truthfully, I didn't "discover" this product.  My dad did.  So, he gets all the credit for this one.

 Mmm, my mouth is just watering, looking at this picture!  Have ya'll tried the MiO Liquid Water Enhancer?  Ya'll, it is DELICIOUS.  I was a little skeptical at first--I was worried the little drops of flavoring would make the water taste too sweet, or "fake."  But, it is really wonderful.

All you do is follow the directions on the bottle--add several drops of the liquid to a regular glass of water (or water bottle).  I promise you--you will NOT BELIEVE how good it tastes!

(And, no, the MiO people are not paying me to say this.  However, MiO--if you're listening, I WILL ACCEPT ALL FORMS OF CASH, if you're offering.)

MiO is called a liquid water enhancer.  I like to call it magic.  It comes in 6 groovy flavors--Berry Pomegranate, Sweet Tea, Peach Tea, Fruit Punch, Mango Peach,  and my personal favorite Strawberry Watermelon.  And best of all--it is sugarfree AND calorie-free! 

Do me a favor.  Go out and buy the Strawberry Watermelon.  Make yourself a cold glass of crushed ice and water, add a couple of drops of the Strawberry Watermelon MiO, and take a long sip.  Doesn't it taste JUST LIKE a shaved ice snowcone from your childhood???  Mmm, perfection.

Okay, that's all I have to say.  If you haven't tried this product, and you don't take my advice, well, then that's your problem.  I've done all I can do for you.  You are on your own now.

Have YOU tried MiO? 

What's your favorite flavor? 

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Grateful

I don't know if ya'll knew this, but last week was my husband's and my 20th wedding anniversary.  Ha ha, right.  I know.  I've only been writing about it for TWO WEEKS, and I'm not even halfway done. 

Oh, but in case you've missed it, click here to begin reading about how we fell in love--Our Summer Camp Love Story. 

Anyway, to be real honest, I was a little blue about our upcoming anniversary.  It's always difficult finding time to celebrate in the middle of summer camp.  And this summer it's been especially busy.  Crazy busy.  But, I hiked up my big girl pants, decided to make the best of it, and celebrate this amazing 20-year milestone in whatever way Dave and I could.

Wouldn't you know it, our anniversary ended up being really special.  Just perfect, and just what Dave and I needed.  Only God can orchestrate details like that.

I feel blessed, and grateful.

Here's why:

1.  Crushed ice.  Oh yes, I am a simple girl to please, and having a new side-by-side refrigerator with crushed ice in the door pleases me just fine!!2.  A sweet card from a sweet aunt and uncle, who wanted to buy our dinner.  Sure was a yummy fajita dinner...sitting across from the guy who knew to order my Coke before I even sat down, and who always saves the last tortilla for me.

2.  A relaxing night at a beautiful hotel with Dave.

3.  Grandparents who let their granddaughters spend the night.  Generous grandparents. 

3.  A big surprise from a very big-hearted summer staff who called ahead and paid for our beautiful hotel. 

4.  A visit to the hotel's ice cream shop at 10pm, and eating chocolate ice cream cross-legged on the bed while watching Storage Wars.

5.  Daughters who decorate our cabin with streamers and balloons.  20 balloons, to be exact--all numbered.

 
 6.  3 summer photographers who keep secrets, and create a photo book of our girls--for them to give their mom and dad for their anniversary.  The photos are breathtakingly gorgeous.   The book is a real treasure.

 7.  A morning walk with the guy I've been walking beside for 20 years now.  Even now, lots of talking, more questions, always more laughter, and plenty of contentment.

Grateful.  That's what I am.

Some Skunks, a Gun, and a Flashlight

With our 20th wedding anniversary coming up, I decided to write about our love story. Please join me in the upcoming days as I tell  A Summer Camp Love Story.

Need to catch up?  Part 1--Our Love Story Starts with: A List; Part 2--A Girl on the Boys' Side, and a Boy on the Girls' Side; Part 3--A Dance...with a Promise; Part 4--Questions, Goodies, and Boat Rides; Part 5--One Fateful Boat Ride; Part 6--Waiting on our First Date to Happen; Part 7--Who's Sammy Lane?; Part 8--Okay, I'm Sure Now; Part 9--There was a lot of smiling, and honesty, and heart pounding...

..........

 

I bet you read the title and thought, "Huh?  I thought this was a love story."

And this is where I would answer you, "Oh honey.  Stick around.  This is the redneck part of our love story!"

I like to tell my Ozark friends, in my best hillbilly voice, "Dave and I fell in love SKUNK HUNTIN'"  And that's "huntin'" without the "g" at the end!

You see, that particular summer, there was a skunk problem around camp.  Staff and campers kept seeing skunks.  And smelling them occasionally.

A respectable summer camp just cannot have skunks wandering around.  Don't skunks carry rabies?  Or leprosy?  Or maybe they just carry STINK.

Our camp director found out (the hard way) that you cannot trap a skunk.  Well, I mean you can...but then what do you do with it?  Nope, the game warden told us the most humane thing to do in a summer camp situation is to shoot the skunk.

Shoot a bunch of skunks?  Yes, preferably at night.  When no one's around.  And each one with the first shot.  You know--so campers don't start writing letters home about the gunshots they're hearing at night. 

Gunshots are probably not good for publicity.

Neither are skunks.

So, the camp director pulled Dave into his office and asked Dave, master hunter and gun-toting man that he was, to help "take care" of the skunks.  And with a matchmaking gleam in his eye, Brawner told Dave he probably needed someone to help...hold the flashlight, perhaps.  He told Dave to take me along, in a camp truck (aka, old beat-up hundred-year-old truck with doors that didn't always close the first time), and drive around the bottom area of camp by the lake, to see if we couldn't find some skunks.  He told us to wait until after Taps--lights out bedtime--to start.

With the director's blessing, Dave loaded up his gun, and handed me the biggest flashlight I'd ever seen: The foot-long Mag Light. 

This is also where I introduce another main character into our love story.  Reader, I'd like for you to meet Otis.  Otis was the night watchman at our camp for years and years.  He's still living, and has only retired from camp in the last couple of years.  Oh, but for 20 or 30 years, Otis was a nighttime fixture at our camp--many times arriving a couple of hours early for duty, just so he could talk to many of the staff and campers during the evening activity.  Otis loved camp, and he loved the staff and campers.  And I bet if you asked any of the people from those 20 or 30 years at K-1 Kanakuk about Otis, you'd see that the feeling was mutual. 

One of my favorite things about Otis is his stories.  He's lived a long and interesting life, and is happy to tell about it, if you ask.  Even sometimes, when you don't ask.  The stories are even better--because he always tells them in the 3rd person.  Seems like he always starts one of his old stories like this, "Ole Otis, well...he helped build that Table Rock Dam, he sure did.  Back then, 'hit was nothing but farmland..."

Oh, but back to the story.  If ever you meet Otis, you ask him, and I'm sure he'll tell you..."Oh, I was there 'at summer when dat Dave and MurKay was huntin' skunks, I sure was.  Whoo, you'uhnses wouldn't believe how many skunks there was.  But, ole Otis, he was thar when they got to courtin'..."

And he was there.  Dave and I always knew when we'd see headlights slowly bumping across the football field through the dark--we knew Otis was coming to check on us...or to let us know of a skunk sighting.  Or, most likely, he was lonesome for company, and wanted to chat for a spell. 

Often, Dave would drive us to where Otis had last spotted a skunk, and sure enough, we'd see that fluffy black tail.  I would point the flashlight through the driver window, and Dave would jump out of the truck, aim, and shoot.

And doggone it, Dave hit the skunk every single time.  Always between the eyes--so it wouldn't spray when shot, he explained.  Well, usually it didn't spray...

Dave and I kept a tally of all the skunks we killed over a couple of weeks.  We called that tally sheet:  "Team Dave and Mary Kay."  I think we got to 14 or 15 skunk kills.

Can we pause for a moment, and ponder the fact that I just wrote "14 or 15 skunk kills" in my LOVE STORY.  Like I said--this is the redneck portion of my story.

What I have not told you about yet, is how every night for about 2 weeks, I rarely got more than about 5 hours of sleep.  But, a girl sure can survive on love in times like that. 

Dave and I might have been heading toward love with those first dates, the roses, and the kiss.  But, truly, we fell in love while skunk hunting.  Like any kind of hunting, most of our time was spent doing the hunting part--in our case driving around, or sitting in the truck, waiting.  During those long hours, Dave and I just talked and talked.  I told Dave everything.  It seemed I couldn't keep any secrets or thoughts--embarrassing or not--from him. 

We talked about our childhoods, our friendships.  We talked about what we wanted in life, what was important.  And it wasn't long before we were talking about marriage.

Yes, I know.  It was a whirlwind romance.  Remember, I only worked 2 months that summer.  But, in those 2 months we knew.  We knew we had found "the one." 

And like young couples in love, we almost always held hands in that old truck.  Or, I'd scoot next to Dave and put my head on his shoulder.  But, don't you worry.  Ole' Otis was never far away, with his latest skunk sighting, or latest story to tell in those lonely night hours. 

Come to think of it...I wonder if our camp director asked Otis to keep an eye out for the skunk huntin' couple?  Because, sure enough, ole' Otis, he was never far away...

To be continued...

(Am I running anybody off yet with my crazy 10-part love story?  And I'm barely to the end of our 2 months at camp.  I hope to take a couple of days' break from the story, and pick it back up again soon.  Thanks for your encouraging comments so far!  This story has been SO FUN for me to tell.  I apologize that I cannot seem to tell a quick story to save my life...)

 Oh, there we were, the romantic Skunk Huntin' Couple!  Complete with our 1990s long denim shorts and white t-shirts, sleeves cuffed.

 And...the limousine to love...Ole Red, loyal camp truck and skunk huntin' bloodhound.
 
 

There was a lot of smiling, and honesty, and heart pounding...

With our 20th wedding anniversary coming up, I decided to write about our love story. Please join me in the upcoming days as I tell  A Summer Camp Love Story.

Need to catch up?  Part 1--Our Love Story Starts with: A List; Part 2--A Girl on the Boys' Side, and a Boy on the Girls' Side; Part 3--A Dance...with a Promise; Part 4--Questions, Goodies, and Boat Rides; Part 5--One Fateful Boat Ride; Part 6--Waiting on our First Date to Happen; Part 7--Who's Sammy Lane?; Part 8--Okay, I'm Sure Now

..........

 

(Disclaimer:  This is the part of the story where I am hiding under my covers, hoping no one sees me while reading this...AAAHHHHHH.)

After being given my first-ever dozen long-stemmed roses on the trip to the airport, I could only imagine what our drive back from the airport would be like.  I was nervous, but excited to see Dave.

My heart did flip flops when I saw him standing at the airport curb.  As he got in the car, he was smiling at me with his blue eyes, and with a grin from ear to ear.  Of course, I was smiling back...and with what was becoming my style of communication with Dave, before thinking, I blurted out exactly what I was thinking,

"I missed you while you were gone!"

And in Dave's cute boyish way, with a shy grin, "You did?  Good.  'Cause I really missed you, too."

We talked about our weekends away from each other, and Dave told me all about the wedding.  I felt like I was getting to know all of his friends that were a part of the wedding, just from his stories.  Little did I know, I would get to know them later on--and really well!

After a while, Dave got serious, and said he wanted to talk to me about something.  He pulled the car off the road, and into a shaded parking lot. 

After he parked the car, he rolled down the windows, and turned to face me, "Listen.  I just want you to know that this is not a passing thing with me.  You know--you and me.  I'd like to keep getting to know you, if that's all right."

Quietly, and with my heart beating right out of my chest, I answered, "I feel the same way."

"Well, I want you to know that I will never hurt you.  I am making that promise right now.  And I'd like to take you on another date really soon."

Beaming, I answered shyly, "I would love that."

As we sat in the quiet car, a light breeze drifted in the windows.  A couple of people walked past, and got in their car.  During this quiet pause between talking, I guess I had a look that crossed my face, because Dave asked, "What?  What are you thinking?"

I was completely mortified, because I HAD been thinking something, and had no idea my face gave it away.  Embarrassed, I said, "Why do you ask?"

"Because I can tell.  Tell me.  What were you just thinking?"

Again--I found myself blurting out exactly what I was thinking with Dave...

Timidly, and with an embarassed grin I answered, "I was wondering...if you were going to kiss me?"

Without missing a beat, he said, "Well, I'd be crazy not to!!"

AND THEN--THEN, that boy went on to TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.  I have no idea WHAT he was talking about, because the whole time I kept thinking, "What just happened?  Didn't he just say he'd be crazy not to kiss me?  What did he mean...because now he changed the subject and is talking???

And then.  Then, he reached across and gently lifted my chin, and he leaned down to kiss my lips.  It was the sweetest, gentlest kiss I could ever imagine.  It was perfect.  A perfect, magical first kiss.

He pulled back, looked into my eyes, and smiled.

I smiled back, totally lost in the moment.

And he leaned down to kiss me again.  This time longer, with his hand resting on my cheek.

I remember after, looking up into his eyes, and smiling.  Happy and content--and yet, with my heart pounding, pounding.

He grinned at me, turned the ignition back on and said, "Wow.  We had better get on back to camp now!" 

Breathless, and flushed, and heart racing, "Yeah.  I know."

We pulled into the camp parking lot, got out, and walked down the hill to camp.  Dave reached over and took my hand, smiling at me again.  Our hands finally slipped apart at the blue entrance gates, and we turned to go our separate ways.  Dave walked a few steps before turning back to call out--with a twinkle in his eye--"I'll come see you later, okay?"

I smiled back at him.  I didn't need to respond.  I knew my eyes said everything my words could have.

To be continued...

 There's that handsome fella--just 24 hours before...well, you know!

 Some of Dave's friends from the wedding he traveled to that weekend.  Boy, am I glad Todd and Shana got married that weekend, and needed Dave to fly there...

Okay, I'm Sure Now

With our 20th wedding anniversary coming up, I decided to write about our love story. Please join me in the upcoming days as I tell  A Summer Camp Love Story.

Need to catch up?  Part 1--Our Love Story Starts with: A List; Part 2--A Girl on the Boys' Side, and a Boy on the Girls' Side; Part 3--A Dance...with a Promise; Part 4--Questions, Goodies, and Boat Rides; Part 5--One Fateful Boat Ride; Part 6--Waiting on our First Date to Happen; Part 7--Who's Sammy Lane?

..........

 

One of my favorite parts of this story, is that I can pinpoint the exact moment when I knew Dave felt the same about me as I felt about him.

And it was a moment when no words were even exchanged...

Dave needed to leave camp for a few days to be a groomsman for one of his closest friends.  He needed someone to drive him the hour to and from the airport--and guess who was assigned to that task?  One very lucky office girl, that's who!

Of course, on the way there, Dave drove us, old fashioned guy that he is.  Again, as we seemed to do every time we were together, we talked and talked the whole way there.  I still had so many questions I wanted to ask him.  As we got closer to the airport, Dave said he needed to make a quick detour.  He pulled into a little strip shopping center, and said he needed to run in, but that he wouldn't be long.

There were several stores there, and I have no idea why I didn't notice which one he entered.  But, I sat for what seemed like a long time.  At one point I wondered what I should do--because I had no idea what store he was in, and it felt like 10-15 minutes had passed. I was worried he would miss his flight.  And remember--no cell phones back then to check on him.

(Ha!! That paragraph right there could be a blueprint for our whole marriage!  Dave needing to make a surprise stop somewhere--the boy loves surprises.  And MK worrying about being late--because the girl does love to worry.)

Finally!  I saw someone walking toward our car.  But, oh my goodness, that someone was carrying a huge arm bouquet of the most beautiful long-stemmed pink roses I had ever seen!

Dave opened my car door, and with a big grin on his face, placed the dozen roses in my arms.  I am SURE I was speechless for a moment, and I am SURE my face turned bright red.

It was that instant, that I knew.  I knew Dave felt the same about me as I did him.  And I knew this was more than a couple of creative nights off together.  This was for real.

As Dave jumped out at the airport--with only minutes to spare--he told me that he'd like to call me while he was away...and especially since he "needed to tell me" the details about his return flight.  Since I was an office girl, and lived in an office girl cabin, lucky for me--we answered the phones at night.  So, of course, when Dave called later that night, I was right there to answer!

I remember looking across the cabin at my roses while I talked to Dave on the phone.  Surely, he could hear my big smile as we talked.  His voice sounded excited on the other end of the phone, and even though I was sure he was really busy with wedding activities, I could tell he really wanted to talk to me on the phone.  Like talking on the phone with me was his most important task of the day.

That kind of attention made me feel more special than I had felt in a really long time.  I couldn't wait to pick him up at the airport in two days!

Ah, and the ride back from the airport was even better...

To be continued...

Image credit: Flickr Satheesh k