I
mentioned three days ago, that I had agreed to a {Sunday Church & Lunch}
“date” with Holland, so this morning I was up bright and early to be ready by
8:40 A.M. It was pretty nippy, so I wore jeans and a pullover sweater.
Sunday “Date”
Post: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/12/greensleeves.html
I also
knew I’d be meeting “the family” before church sevice: I know several of his
family members already, so I felt comfortable about meeting three more 😉
What I didn’t know was how important this meeting would be.
When we
got to Kelso, and met with his nephew at his mother’s house, I was immediately
embraced and made to feel like part of the family nucleus: “So. You’re the
one Holland has been bending our ears about.” It was a comfortable
environment, and a good hour’s visit with good people. I passed inspection (friendly,
not overly curious), and was invited to the family Christmas supper, along
with Holland.
This morning’s Sunday
service message was of course about the miracle that happened in Bethlehem more
than two millennia ago. The pastor also mentioned that his brother, who had
been suffering with cancer, had passed during the night exactly as he (his suffering
bother) has prayed he would: in his sleep, and immediately in the presence
of Yeshua.
When
the pastor mentioned that, Holland reached over and held my hand – he had heard
me many times, over the past 15 months, relate how I had prayed when Bob was in
his final hours on Earth that Elohim would be merciful and favor Bob with a
peaceful passage from this life to the next while he slept: and that is exactly
what happened, as I watched Bob take his last breath four years ago, the morning
of December fourteenth. Holland is a gentle bear of a man; gentle and compassionate,
and always ready to comfort me. I know he loves me – and I am thankful
Elohim has favored me with two insightful men to walk through this life with
… my old life, and my new life 😊
After
service, we walked hand and hand to his pickup, and he said, “Your
hands are so little” – and I replied with a laugh, “Yes; I have
baby hands – I literally have to buy kid gloves.” And he said, “Well,
I like your little ‘baby’ hands … and they fit your nickname, ‘Baby’”.
We
talked all the way from the church parking lot to the restaurant, where we were
to meet Jake. Enroute, I found myself suddenly engaged! So, from
today forward, I now consider Holland my husband in Name until we sign on
the dotted line that will garner him all the benefits of married life 😉
I
called my granddaughter with the news so she could pass it on to the rest of
her household, as they come in from work. She said, “Are you sure
about this?” And I said, “Yes.” She said, “But,
last week you said that he was on ice because you felt he wasn’t upfront with
you …” And I replied, “He was. But he explained why he wasn’t
upfront; and I understand his reasoning – and that will never happen again.
Things have changed in that situation, and circumstances are being resolved as
we speak: he is literally turning his whole life around to make things right.
He really is a good man. And he’s finally ‘seen the light’.” She said,
“You’ve only known him a few weeks, grandma.” And I answered, “We’ve
known each other for fifteen months – and he had flirted twelve of those
fifteen months: we are not strangers, we’ve just stopped pussy-footing around.
I married grandpa four months after meeting him face-to-face, and we had a
wonderful run of 44 happy years. This thing with Holland may seem like it’s
moving fast, but fifteen months is a lot longer than four; and he never rushed
me – he isn’t rushing me now.”
My life
is never dull.
And it
seems to move at turbo speed when it decides to move 😊
The
issues that frustrated our relationship last week have been resolved, including
the trust issue – which, to my way of thinking, is the main issue … concerning
everyone’s place in my life. Holland {gets} that now. Some people never do; and
that’s why my inner circle is very small.
No
immediate plans to marry are in the works, as there are financial legalities (for
both of us) to be settled, before we can move forward in that direction;
and that could take months to resolve. But, we are moving forward with our
relationship.
After
Holland dropped me off at home, I finished a pair of house slippers; lit the
first candle of the Hanukkah menorah; and started a new novel …
Today has been a B.I.G. Day 😉
