EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE

My husband and I met the summer of '78 before his senior year in college. He was a summer youth director for a church down the road from us. He and his college roommate were staying with a former youth minister of mine for the summer. My sisters and I saw our former youth minister at Burger King and he told us that one of his "tenants," was having a pool party for his youth group and that we were invited. I had to work but one of my sisters decided she would go.

When I got home from work our living room was full of people. There was my sister, our former youth minister and three summer youth directors. Kevin was one of them. We met in June. We started dating the middle of July and he asked me to marry him in August. Not as fast a romance as some we've met, not as long as others but perfect timing for us.

We had talked about getting married in December and having a Christmas wedding. Kev told his dad the plans. His dad said, "That's great! I will be there. Just tell me when." then he added, "Remember, you have one more semester of college left and when you say" I Do" the rest is on you." We decided to wait until May. Kev wanted his dad to come to our wedding but he also wanted him to come to his college graduation. Kev didn't think his dad could get off work twice in one year to fly from California to North Carolina. I suggested we get married the Sunday after his college graduation. Kev liked that idea. His dad flew in for his graduation on May 20th and stayed the week. He went to the wedding on  May 27th and flew out that evening.

While Kev was in college we would call each other and let the phone ring once then hang up.That meant "I love you!" It's funny after 35 years of marriage every time I hear any phone ring just once I think of Kev.

One month after we got married we moved to California. Kev went to Golden Gate Seminary and I went to work in San Francisco. I would call my mom, dad, brother and baby sister one Saturday of the month, my other sisters, Grandma Humphrey, and Grandma Richardson each on another Saturday.  My Grandma Richardson said the same thing each of her Saturdays, she said,"It's great to hear your voice. I know this is costing a lot so I will let you go.  I love you." I would reply, "I love you too, grandma." Then we'd hang up. (Now I can talk to my daughter anytime I want, as long as she answers! :) Everything is relative.)

Kevin and Danette_2014

Jaron and Arielle_2014

I didn't really want a cell phone. My husband wanted me to have one because I'm directionally challenged and at the time I owned a florist. I made a lot of deliveries. I got turned around (lost) several times. There was no GPS as we know it today. I had a disk that had the information on it. Unfortunately it wasn't always right. The day that sealed the fate of me getting a cell phone even though I didn't want one, was a delivery that left me on a dirt road in a corn field. The map showed two roads connecting but they didn't connect.  I could see the headlights from the cars on the other road through a cornfield. Because the florist was an hour from our home Kev was concerned and thought with a cell phone I could at least call the florist if I got lost.

Arielle and I shared the phone. I used it during the day while at work. Arielle used it in the evening when the minutes were free. Unfortunately for her the only place it worked at home was in the middle of the driveway. She would sit in a chair in the middle of the driveway until time for bed. (Of course, homework had to be done first.)

A couple of years later Arielle went to college. She went to North Greenville College in Tigerville, S.C. It was 7 1/2 hours from us. She took our cell phone. (She was more popular than I was.) I got another one.

The first week she was in college she called me at work. She said, "I just saw the funniest bill board." Then she described it to me and we laughed together. Then she said, "That's all. I knew I'd forget if I waited until later." We hung up and I turned to my designer and said, "I LOVE this phone!" (Everything is relative.)

Arielle has lived 12 1/2 hours away from us for about 5 years now. We've kept in touch by cell phone. A month ago she and her husband moved to Virginia. They are about 2 1/2 hours away. Last week we met for dinner. It was a Saturday night. That's amazing in itself because we never go far from home on a Saturday night. Kev always says, "It's Saturday night and Sunday's coming." (Everything is relative)

We each drove half way and met in the middle. Over an hour to go to dinner used to sound nuts!!!! Now (If it's the kids) it's a JOY. Get a couple of hugs, dinner, laughs, another couple of hugs and on the road for over an hour to home. We used to have to plan a week's vacation to see her (them). (EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE!)




Have a BLESSED Day,
Mama D

Ephesians 3:1 ESV
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

A Smooth Move

WOW!  What a couple of months I've had.

Christmas was awesome! Arielle and Jaron came home from Georgia. We went to Kevin's sister's house for our Moen Christmas. Great fun! Then Christmas Day we headed to North Carolina for our Humphrey Christmas. My family is spread out from Georgia to Virginia so Christmas is the time of year we all (as many of us that can) get together in North Carolina.

Two days after Christmas I went home with Arielle and Jaron. Arielle accepted a position in Clarksville, VA and Jaron also had a couple of job offers before they even left Georgia. I must admit I did pick on him a bit about getting a couple of job offers in a matter of days when his mother-in-law has been putting in applications since last February.

Kev was in charge of our dog and their dog back home in Virginia.

Arielle and Jaron both had to work the first part of the week so I started packing. They had started a little before I got there. We went to the store and bought boxes, cardboard for the temporary storage items and plastic for the items that could be more permanently stored.

We also bought duct tape. Arielle had read on Pinterest that to make moving easier, use different colored duct tape on the boxes.

Colored Duct Tape

Boxes labeled and duct tape

I have always numbered and labeled my moving boxes. Some of the boxes I helped Arielle label on a previous trip to her house, like Christmas boxes. We taped a small craft plastic bag (Ziplock type) to a plastic box and put an index card or half of an index card according to the size of your bag, in the bag with the contents written on it. I don't have a close up view of one of her boxes but a good example would be these boxes from my storage room.

I use different colored index cards. Extension cords are on green, crafts on pink, etc.

I wrote in Arielle's calendar book the number written on the box (mostly paper boxes) or a description of the box like the color of the plastic box's lid and then what was in that box.

Many years ago Kev and I moved for what we thought was going to be a couple of weeks but that turned into 8 months. All our possessions were in a storage space. When we needed something I had a list of the box numbers and what was in the boxes. Had we known how long we were going to be staying with family, I would have suggested we put the boxes in some sorta order in the storage space to make it easier to find. Like putting the winter clothes near the door. I have been making those lists ever since.

List of boxes

Unpacking

Packing the truck

Paper boxes are used for the move with things that will be unpacked soon after the move is done. (I don't like paper boxes in the attic or basement or garage because of potential bugs or mice.) Use small to medium boxes. My husband started this tradition because I fill a box where it sits. I do not worry about it's weight, putting it in a truck or off a truck that is Kev's job (poor thing).

Look at that little ramp supplied on the rental truck in the picture to the left. Believe me small to medium boxes are the best.

Now look at the duct tape on the handles. A person can't say I didn't see the tape.

I made a legend, (from my architectural draftsman days). I also made door hangers for each room. The door hangers were made on 8 1/2 x 11 white card stock . I cut a hole near the middle top. I wrote the name of the room and then put a piece of the colored duct tape below the name of the room along the bottom of the paper. I apologize none of the pictures show the door hangers.
   

Duct Tape Legend

Arielle got everyone together at the new house and explained the system. I stood in the basement to organize the boxes that went there. I didn't want them to have a pile of boxes in the middle of the floor after everyone left. I put Christmas and New Year's boxes under the stairs, Craft items together, sports in another corner and Jaron's tools near the back door so he could have natural light and easy access to bring in whatever he needs for his projects.

The rest of the house went smooth also. One lady told me I should be an organizer for a living. I told her Arielle has told me the same thing but I wouldn't know how to get started. She said let them watch me for 10 minutes. We laughed and went back to work. (If I could only organize Kev)

Arielle, Jaron and Jazzy are all moved in

They are all moved in and it's time for Kev and I to go home.

FIVE days after getting home Kev and I left for California to go to his brother's retirement party. I must say we have a great family from the east coast to the west, and as far up as Washington State, families don't get much better than ours. We are not perfect, we don't get to see each other as much as we would like but we love each other and we love our Lord, Jesus Christ.

 We were there for a few days and then came home.

We have put away most of our Christmas, laundry is done from our trips, and we have finally caught up on some much needed sleep.

A few days after we got home I received a call asking me to come in for an interview, then a second interview, and then a call asking me if I would accept the job.

I accepted a part time receptionist position with the (BGAV) Baptist General Association of Virginia. YES! It is good to be back at work. The facility is called the Virginia Baptist Resource Center because several wonderful organizations have their offices there.

Kev asked me how my first day went. I told him it was fun. He said, "fun", you are suppose to be working.

I plan to work on my tweenager bible study book about the life of Joseph in the morning and work in the office in the afternoon.

2015 is LOOKING GOOD and I am truly BLESSED! PRAISE THE LORD!

Have a Blessed Day,
Mama D

Romans 8:28 ESV
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.