How Mamma Mia Helped Me Make One of the Best Decisions Of My Life

Hello All!

Sorry about the delay. I was busy all day yesterday doing... nothing.  I'm not even kidding.  I sat down in the morning to do some email stuff, update my blogs and the next thing I knew it was like 5pm and my house was a wreck and nothing had been packed or cleaned.

So I threw together some crackers, cheese and meats and the whole family ate it while watching a Christmas movie in the living room. :-D  It was super fun, actually.

Today I have been more productive and have cleaned the kitchen, run the dishwasher, picked up the living room and had a visit with a friend.  Man, I'm really going to miss my friends up here when we move back. =(

Anyway, this story is about me.  And Mamma Mia.  And Romeo.   So let's begin, shall we?

Years ago when I was just a wee lass of about 20 or so, I caught the eye of Josh.  I had no idea, though.  I was oblivious.  I was friends with his sisters, but never noticed the skinny-as-a-bean-pole-uber-responsible-boy/man that was Joshua.  He was going to school to get his transfer degree and working a full-time graveyard shift.  He was also in charge of the Children's Activities at church.

As I told him later, I just saw him "stoically marching around conducting his business."  And it was true.  I didn't see anything else in him at all.

Fast forward 3 years.  The boy still likes me.  I am still completely oblivious (even though he *insists* I gave him "signs" that I liked him... like talking to him.)  I am spearheading a trip with 4 other people; we're headed to Norway to work on a huge remodeling project on the main conference center there.  I am totally involved and can't wait to go on my trip. Then, I get an email.

It's from Josh.  I'm at work, and as I read it, I'm whispering, "No, Josh, no.  Don't do this!!"  Because he's basically telling me he likes me and that he just wanted me to know before I leave on my trip.  He's afraid I'm going to get married while I'm working over there. (???)  But the reason I am so torn up is because I know I have to tell him I'm not interested. Like, at all.  And what girl wants to do that!?  So I immediately try to call my best friend.  For like, 45 minutes, I'm redialing but can't get through to her.  And I can't do this on my own!

I finally get through to her and we both agree that the only thing to do is nip this in the bud.  Make it VERY clear I am not interested in a relationship, I am going on my trip and that's that.  Don't wait around, buddy.  Sayonara.  But I don't want to hurt his feelings.  So that night we (my friend and I) write what I *THOUGHT* was a very nice, but very clear email.  Thanks, but no thanks.  Don't take it personally.

I later found out that it basically was a knife in his heart, he went to the movies alone and then got drunk at home for the only time in his life.  **We're still working on our communicating skills** :-D

But then, you know, I started watching him.  Noticing him.  And you know what?  He doesn't stoically march around ALL the time.  He's actually got a very big heart.  He's responsible.  He drives a sweet Jetta.  He dotes on his mom.  And, if you can look past his clogs and hair part, he's actually kinda cute.  So for 3 months I watch him and without even knowing it he starts to make his way into my heart.  I truly respect this man.  He is a true, honest, upstanding, dependable person.

Then he pulls out the big guns.  White t-shirt, jeans, and a neon orange construction vest.  I wish I was kidding, but I'm not.  I took one look at him in that outfit and I *knew*.  My heart changed.  I turned to say something to my friend who was sitting next to me, and she saw my eyes and knew.

But the thing was, I was supposed to be going on this trip for a year.  And I knew it wouldn't be even remotely the same if I was in a relationship, as opposed to going absolutely unattached.  What to do???

Enter MAMMA MIA!!  Annie (that's my friend who was stuck to my hip from age 10-24, and is now my sister-in-law.  Yeah, she married Josh's brother.) and I had tickets to see a production of Mamma Mia. We bought a program and sat down and were chatting.  See?  Here's my program:


 So we're sitting there discussing my dilemma and I'm telling her, "I just wish God would give me a sign!  Should I go to Norway and have this wonderful year long experience, which I had led from the very beginning?  I got all our visa paperwork, drove us to the lawyers to make sure it was correct, corresponded with the leaders in Norway.  Should I do that and finish what I started?

Or should I get to know this guy, whom I've come to deeply admire and respect?  So I was saying, "I wish God would just give me a SIGN!!!!"  And then I see this in my program:

It says, "Get to know me".  And there's a picture of a man with a silly hair part and cloggish shoes.  Now, if that isn't a sign I don't know what is!!!

You should have seen how big my eyes were and Annie and I just burst out laughing.  And then we thoroughly enjoyed every single second of the musical, and it remains one of my most favorite shows ever to this date.  The new one with Meryl Streep is just FABULOUS!!!!

So anyway, we go home and I write an email back to Josh, asking if he's still interested in getting to know me.  He was and ten days later we were engaged.  I kid you not.  Ten days, people.  Not a lot of time to go from unsure, getting your sign in a magazine and then being betrothed to each other.  I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. ;-)

It's worked out beautifully for me, though.  I love Josh with all of my heart.  He has been my rock these past 6.5 years and has stood faithfully by my side in sickness and health.  He has stepped up to help me when I couldn't do it myself.  He has supported me, encouraged me, and his love has never wavered, even when I went psychocrazy after having Owen.

I sure lucked out.  He is a gem and I surely don't deserve him.  But I am so incredibly thankful he's mine.  The man is a romantic and not afraid to show it.  He draws me bubble baths with candles.  He brings me flowers.  He makes me Mimosas.  He always says I'm beautiful, even at my heaviest, even when I couldn't manage to shower for days at a time and my hair resembled Einstein's.  Even when he would come home from a long day at work to a house that had deteriorated to a pigsty, and I was crying on the couch and the kids were glassy-eyed from watching tv all day.  He still told me I was beautiful and that he loved me.  And he showed me by his actions that he meant it. And he still does.

So, as you can see, I am eternally indebted to Mamma Mia for helping me make one of the best decisions of my life. :-)