The other...

When I was thinking about asking Jill to marry me, I decided to sit with Mom and Dad to work things out. I figured, when you need advice on something, go to someone who is successful at it. Since Mom and Dad had a successful marriage I figured, who better to ask?!? So one summer day I plucked up the nerve to sit down and talk to them. It was in the yard, off the deck under those 2 trees by the pool. What a beautiful day it was. Warm and breezey. They were drinking those Kiers (sp?). I think i may have danced around the subject for a while, kind of nervous, then blurted it out. I don't remember the words I said or the speed with which I said it, but I remember the looks on Mom and Dad's faces... heh heh, it still makes me smile a little thinking about that. Anyway, the first things I remember hearing (after the blood stopped pounding in my ears) was Mom asking "... Well, can you imagine yourself living without this girl?..." I sat back and tried. When I realized that I really couldn't, I looked back at Mom to see she hadn't taken her eyes off of me. And she had that smile on her face. You remember that smile guys? The one where she turns her head a slight bit, smiles BIG. So big her eyes smile too...

I couldn't tell exactly how long she was smiling, but I knew that she knew the answer before I did. Hell, she probably knew before she asked. She usually did.

You all know the outcome of that conversation. You were all at the engagement party. You were all at the wedding. I would give almost anything to have had Mom there too. She was a large part of the reason I found the courage to ask Jill. I also wish she was there when I asked AL & Carol for permission to ask their daughter to marry me.