So we drove back to my little town to pack up the moving truck and head east.
This was the first time that I had ever left home, so obviously it was a very emotional experience.
19 and moving away to a place where I knew no one and didn't know anything about the area, but I couldn't help but follow the man that had swept me off my feet twice to be exact! Once in our beautiful beginning and then again on our wedding day when he carried me into the carriage that he drove to the reception.
......I told you it was a fairytale......
After saying our goodbyes to my family, which let me tell was the hardest thing I had done up to that point in my life. Just one more hug, one more kiss, one more memory of your face. That's all I wanted from my family that sad/happy day.
Sad because I was leaving my family, happy because I was starting this new life with my beloved.
We were off. A day and a half later we reached our destination. We pulled in our driveway to the most adorable little duplex I had ever seen. He picked it out all by himself and he did such a good job.
....It was white with a cute little walk way. A very open grassy yard with a big tree. The inside was perfect size just for us, a newlywed couple just starting out. We loved and were so proud to call it our home.
Within an hour or two I had the kitchen completely unpacked and put away. And then a few hours later our bathroom was ready with fresh towels, toothbrushes in their holder and shampoo in the shower. I was so happy to be wife and a little homemaker. It was so fun!
A few days later we got the rest of our furniture for our quaint home (all being gently used which made it that much more cozy), and we were moved in! Life was exactly the way it should be. Hubby going to work and me at home cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, and making menus and grocery lists.
Matt started working nights which meant I wasn't gonna see him very much because we needed the extra money. So he would go to work and 11 at night and come home between 6 and 7 in the morning. After a month of doing this I decided I wanted to get a job during the for a few hours while he slept so I wasn't tempted to "bother" him. So I got a little part time job at a local subway. It brought in a little extra so I felt I was helping out a little.
Being married was so fun but also very hard at times. Once a month we had to go to Matt's duty station so he could do his reserve weekend. So we would pack a bag and go away for the weekend. It was really fun. Kind of like a vacation once a month. But we had hard times too. Just starting out can be very stressful financially and let me tell you it was! We decided that it would be best if he went active in the Marine Corps instead of staying in the reserves so the "plan" was to do all the paperwork in Dec.
Another hard one is family.
He was a preacher's son from Kentucky. I was the average girl from California. We were from two different worlds. Yes we were both Christians which to me was the most important, and "we" had the same views but in between those lines we were raised different. He had no problem with it and neither did I but others did. You can imagine how that made things difficult for us at times.
For those of you who know me you know I am very outspoken and i think for myself. That's how I was raised. Well in this situation it wasn't completely accepted. Poor Matt was stuck in the middle and I hated that. He loved his family but I was his wife. It. Was. Just. Hard.
Well Sept. and Oct. came and went. It was the first time I actually experienced fall! So beautiful.
Nov. we had our Marine Corps ball and it was soooooooooooooooo much fun! He even took me to get my hair and make-up done. He was so sweet;)
We had a huge Thanksgiving weekend in Kentucky with all of his family and it was great. I learned to pigeon shoot and I tried mutton for the first time and it was so good. We really had fun. We took tons of pics with all the cousins and lots of candid shots too.
Dec. was here. Christmas time!!! We got a little tree and decorated it in our little home, put up Christmas lights, and played Christmas music every day. I even made my first apple pie and of course took pics of it and sent them to my mom. Hehe
I was so excited to go home for Christmas and see my family. The "plan" was to go to his reserve duty, sign papers, and then drive straight to my little town.
So I started planning everything out and counting down the days. In the middle of all that I quit my job because of differences with my boss that contradicted my beliefs. Oh my word I was so worried my hubby was gonna kill me but instead he just loved me!
Well we were just a few days away from leaving so his sister decided to make him his favorite meal before we left. So I went grocery shopping with her and we got all the fixins. Now I'm just guessing here cause its been so long but I think we had steak, macaroni and cheese, and a few other items.
It was our last meal with his family before out trip. We had also done Christmas with them a few days before that too. So we ate and laughed and just had a really good time. After dinner we watched a movie as a family and then said our goodbyes.
We went home and he got ready for work. I made him his lunch and his sweet tea as I always did.
For "some reason" he just didn't want to go to work that night. He kept saying, "I just don't want to go," "can't I just call in?"
Of course me being the wife I "had" to say, "no you need to go."
"Just tonight and tomorrow and then we are leaving for our vacation."
"Ok," he said.
"But you can call and tell them you are gonna be run a little late;)" I said with my eyes batting.
So he did. He called and said he would be 45 min. late.
That night was perfect! As perfect as a newlywed couple could hope. We loved each other that night like it was our "last".
"Ok I better get to work," he said as he put his boots on.
I told him I loved him as i always did and then he was off.
He walked out the door.
A minute later I remembered i forgot to tell him the little things I said.
"Be safe and I will see you in the morning."
By the time I got to the door he was gone.
Then I went in the kitchen and he had forgot his food, which was something he never forgot! He was a little piggy pig. Hehe
So I finished the laundry and put out all the cleaning supplies I was going to need the next morning to clean so our little home would be nice and fresh when we returned. It was time for me to go to bed. I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I picked up my phone and decided I would call Matt just to say I love but then realized that either he wouldn't answer because it was to loud to hear anything or he would answer and not be able to hear anything. So I just went to bed and figured I would see him in the morning.
I was in such a deep slumber when all of a sudden my phone startled me with a ring.
It wasn't uncommon for it to ring in the middle of the night because on Matt's break he would call sometimes so that's who I figured it was.
"Hello," I said all groggy.
"Rhena, are you awake?" the voice said on the other end.
"Yes," I said.
"There has been as accident and they had to take Matt to the hospital," were the foggy words I heard.
"Are you serious?" I replied surprised.
"Yes I'm serious. Do you want me to come get you?" I was asked.
"Well yeah I do!" I said.
"Is he ok?" I asked.
"I don't know. They just said something happened and they needed to take him to the hospital right away. I will be there to get you in a few minutes," she said.
"Ok i will be waiting," was my reply.
"Oh my gosh, is he ok?" "Maybe a broken finger or arm, or maybe he burned himself really bad this time." "I wonder if its a really bad cut." "I hope he doesn't need surgery!" Those were all the thoughts going through my head.
I got dressed faster than I had ever dressed myself before. I checked my face and hair in the mirror quickly to make sure I wasn't going to scare anyone!
FINALLY!!!!! It seemed I was waiting for hours. (It really had only been minutes)
I got in the car and we drove speedily to the hospital. It was pretty quiet the whole way there. Really not much to say. My mother-in-law told me she had dropped Matt's dad off there first just see what had happened and so Matt wouldn't be alone.
We parked in the emergency room parking lot and quickly went inside.
I went to the desk and asked to see Matthew Payne. The woman on the other side of the counter just looked at me and then asked, "And who are you?"
"Um, I'm his WIFE!" I said back.
"Oh!" she said kind of shocked. "Just one moment," she added.
"Really! I just want to see my husband," I thought to myself.
...............And........you will just have to come back to see what happens.............
No comments:
Post a Comment