Special Edition – The Birthday Boy! 06/02/19

Countryside Campground, Mogadore, Ohio

I wasn’t thinking when I said I wouldn’t be back until the middle of June.  That happens a lot.  Me not thinking.  But in my defense, I live with Blaine.  He does enough thinking for the both of us.  😊

And today is his birthday!! 

An important birthday as he turned 60 today!  60 years!  How is it possible that we’re that old?  Well, I’m not – – – yet.  But soon!

He’s done a lot in those 60 years –

(In no particular order) He managed to graduate 12 grades (despite his teachers frequently reporting him as a class clown), he graduated diesel mechanic school (despite driving on winter-covered roads and surviving horrific lake-effect snow storms that left him stranded in Cleveland), graduated commercial electrician school (after four years of classroom and on-the-job-training), he has experience working at a produce store (lettuce be thankful for that😊), a gas station (back when they checked your oil and washed your windows), a convenience store (where he endured several robberies and a bonk on the head), making high-quality coat hangers (for Junior Achievement, and getting car-jacked making a delivery), took a few long excursions on his bicycle and motorcycle (just for fun), built many various and sundry things (including an ice boat from scratch and a grandfather clock from a kit), climbed to the top of Mt. Everest (nah, I just put that in there to see if you’re actually reading all this), participated in four mission trips abroad (all of which were God-sent, and God-blessed), worked as the electrical foreman for some large (and small) projects around the Akron area (like Canal Park, Medina Hospital, Children’s Hospital, AT&T, and Summa – just to name a few – very few!), he was requested and sometimes fought-over to run some of the jobs that companies needed done at the same time (highest bidder wins?  I’m not sure how the final decision was made 😊), served in many capacities at the churches we’ve attended (including creating a perfect mix as the sound guy for one of them), had a tumor removed (that the doctor was certain was cancerous, but wasn’t.  Praise God!), raised and cared for a rabbit (taking it for walks on a leash, of all things!), played first-chair alto sax in the high school jazz band (beginning when he was called up in the eighth grade), as well as the high school marching band (at one time losing a contact lens on the field during half-time, only to retrieve it from the field after the game-in the spot where he’d lost it!), ran into the back of a snow plow (I have no idea how that happened), set a record with three other guys for his high school track team relay race (that stood for many years), could do a perfect imitation of a running cheerleader (it was quite funny to watch!), managed to plan and execute his dream of early retirement for us at 58 years old (and choosing to take me along with him on the road), and many more things that I just haven’t taken the time to mention.

And during all this, he also found time to make life fun for his sister and two brothers, test his parents, care for three pets (and a litter of puppies), marry the perfect woman (yes, it was me!! Lol!) and raise two wonderful sons.

Whew!

If you’ve ever wondered why I married this wonderful, fun-loving, God-fearing, Jesus-loving, Holy Spirit filled man, now you know.

The question is – – how in the world did I get so lucky?  For whatever reason, it was God-ordained.  That’s the only explanation.  And I’m eternally grateful!

Happy 60^th, to my darling husband, love-of-my-life, soulmate, Blaine!

Today ended up being much more of a celebration than he was expecting!

There were the text messages he received all day long!  Thank you sooooo much to all those who participated in that birthday surprise!  (The one from his sister was exceptionally hysterical!)

And the family who surprised him with a joint party!  Since he believed the birthday party today was all about our granddaughter, Harper, those messages I asked for helped solidify the surprise element of the joint party – the oldest and the youngest (for a couple more months anyway 😊) in our little family.  (No, I’m not counting parents, just Blaine and I, our kids and grandkids.)

Check back again mid-June for the rest of our month in Ohio!  Oh!  And FYI – besides this birthday post, there’ll also be one from our week with our grandsons and then another with everything else.  😊  And then it’ll be off to the Province of Quebec, Canada via New York!