A Love Story

Ok, I'm going to "be all gross", as my son Atticus would say. Personal stories of love are sacred to me, and not usually something I share with others, however, I am in Spain, and this culture is PASSIONATE! and VIBRANT! and full of emotion (!!). SO, I will unabashedly admit here that I am in love!!! He is about 6'2" tall, wears glasses and keeps a rather red beard (although I'll admit it gets a little too long for my liking, at times.) He is loving, compassionate, honest, hard-working, loyal, funny and sincere, but he is also the reserved ying to my extroverted yang, likes to play poker (*ack*), doesn’t exercise as often as I’d like and keeps a pile of crap beside the bed. And from this distance, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a thing. (Except maybe the exercise. Because that is just plain about good health.)

Our love affair began in 1987 in Mr. Preble's math class. Tall, reserved and totally authentic, he captured my fifteen-year-old self’s attention; I knew that he would play a major role in my life, somehow, and I paid attention.

Twenty-four-ish years later, he is still by my side, even from afar. This was his idea, us going to Spain- the spontaneous fruit of many years of pruning the olive tree. Over Christmas he proposed his idea, out of the blue: "What do you think about you and the boys finishing out the school year in Spain?" Just like that. As if we were just considering swimming lessons. It was the perfect idea, it felt right and five weeks later, we were on a plane.

Which seems like a funny idea for a love story. Usually the people who are in love are choosing to be TOGETHER, not apart. But we unite through our shared vision of what we would like our children to experience.

And every day he writes or calls us.

Every day he goes to work to pay the bills.
Every day he feeds the horses and cleans the corral.

He cleans the bird cage and lets her out.
He cleans the cat box, gives Roger his eye drops and his stinky wet food and lifts him onto the bed at night.

He takes the dog to work and through the drive through to get a biscuit and a coffee.
He lets the chickens in and out, collects the eggs, checks their food and water.

Every day. Just so his family can have this incredible experience, even if it means he must enjoy second-hand our tales of life with our dear friends across the continent.

Thank you, Jason. You are one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever known. I am so grateful for our life together.

(hip MT state tees from digthischick)