He is STILL THE ONE

Yesterday Mick and I celebrated twenty nine years of being husband and wife. We went into the center of town for lunch. Since we never drive into the center of town during a weekday we went by metro. Instead of taking the car to the metro or even getting on a bus at the bus stop (near our apartment) we decided to walk through our woods (about a 15 minute walk when it is slippery out!)

Mick loves SNOW and all things associated with it…that would be, skiing, sledding, rides in a sleigh, ice-cycles, COLD weather, and even SNOW ICE-CREAM.
He also loves FIRE PLACES (when lit!)

Because of his great love for everything having to do with SNOW we have OFTEN walked in the snow through the years. Even our honeymoon was in Colorado so that we could go snow-skiing. In fact, I had to learn to ski before we could get married so I could go with him on HIS honeymoon!

We went skiing one snow day in college (yes, professors could not get to us…but we could get to the slopes!) After I had about two hours of lessons Mick picked me up from class and we proceeded to the slopes. Seems that either my teacher forgot to teach me the art of TURNING or I was just too dumb to pick it up because we soon learned that I had a problem. I did fine going STARIGHT down the mountain (I looked good, skis together and all) but when it came time to TURN (to avoid other skiers or to make sure I didn’t get too much speed up) I just couldn’t make my feet, legs, and body do that!

When I fell, I fell hard. Everyone with us was trying to get me to Snow Plow in order to slow down...to this day I can not Snow Plow! Finally I got a little better and we left the BUNNY slope behind (I’d had lessons and had learned to do something along the lines of turning) and went for the BLUE.
Mick told me to stop worrying about the people in front of me…they were skiers (he seemed to think) and would get out of my way!
So, down the mountain I went…doing whatever it was I’d learned to do to hold my speed down (still not called a TURN, I’m sure!) As I looked down the mountain I saw a man standing, in the middle of the mountain, on the slope, just standing! BUT Mick had told me that THEY WOULD GET OUT OF MY WAY so I decided to take Mick at his word and not fall over to stop so that I wouldn’t run into the STANDING man…HE WOULD GET OUT OF MY WAY.
Well, HE DID NOT…I plowed right smack dab into him. He fell and I fell (several feet below him!)
Mick came flying down the mountain and I started yelling, “You told me he would get out of my way!”
The poor man had no idea what I was talking about…and really, how do you explain what happened to a complete stranger who you have just wiped out?
Mick helped me up and we left the man in the snow!

All that came to my mind yesterday as we walked through the woods. MEMORIES
I wish that I could say that I have listened to Mick’s advice and followed it as avidly these twenty nine years. I have not! I’ve not been a PERFECT wife (as I had planned.)
To be honest with you…he hasn’t been a perfect husband either (have no idea if he planned to be or not.)

But walking through the woods yesterday (and waking up beside him this morning) I can say that I’m so thankful that GOD gave Mick Stockwell to me…to have and to hold from December 29, 1979 until Death Do Us Part!

I love you Mick…you the BEST!!!