She's Doing What?

Tor said write this

As you know if you read Tor's blogs, we have been friends for over 20 years. In fact, when he told me he had met a woman and he was going to get married, my first thought was "is she going to resent our friendship?". Tor had been my writing buddy and friend of both my husband and me for such a long time. But, sweetheart that she is, Mel didn't mind at all and has since become a dear friend also. So, when he commented on my blog about Christmas and freedom and suggested I introduce my husband, I decided maybe he was right.

I met my husband on a blind date, a date I didn't even want to go on. But, I let my friend talk me into it and, as they say, the rest is history. But, the road was a little rocky at first. He wasn't even from this country. He was from Israel, here on business and going back. I am a Texas girl who knows more about horses than about foreign policy so I figured it was just going to be one date. But, he came back and asked me out again. A year and a half later we were married.

He moved to the US and got a job, applied for citizenship and we've been married ever since. He studied American history and soon knew more than I did about it so I had to hit the books to keep up. He loved this country. He found the people industrious, friendly and so easy to work with. My family welcomed him wholeheartedly and he made new friends.

He speaks five languages, which throws me sometimes when he's muttering to himself in one of them. I still have to explain the punch lines of jokes to him at times. He's traveled all over the world selling retaining walls and always came back wanting some kind of different food. So, I've learned to cook chinese, indian, vietnamese, french, german, hungarian, middle eastern and carribean food. This from the girl who grew up on chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes, turnip greens and apple pie.

When we married we agreed that we would accept each other as we were. We would not try to change or coerce the other nor would we make a fuss about holidays, religion, etc. We just do them all!! It's a little more work, but it's all so much fun.

He taught me that our lives are enriched by the diversity in the human race. He also taught me not to complain about the differences but to enjoy the similarities. We all laugh, cry, love and learn the same way. I've learned that skin color is like the paint color of a car, it doesn't matter much...it's what's under the hood that counts. He embraced this country as his own and loved the freedoms it afforded it's citizens. And, it made me appreciate them more.

Now we are grandparents. One thing about getting to be a bonafide 'senior citizen' is that you can sit and reflect on things because you have the time to do so. And, when I reflect on my life, I am thankful for him and the richness he has brought to it.