Across this country, Friday night is typically movie night for many couples and families.  You scan the newspaper or Internet for show times, you see what’s playing near you, and you hop in the car and drive off to the movie-plex for a couple of hours of entertainment.  It’s a tradition that makes up modern, American culture.

 

It had been a long time since Lee and I take the kids to see a film.  Usually their mom beats me to the new releases, so my choices tend to be limited.  Fortunately for us, Natalie and Daniel had yet to see ’Charlotte’s Web’, and given that it was Lee’s favorite book as a girl, the choice for this movie night was obvious.

 

We arrived at the theater debating whether or not we had time to stop for a quick bite before the show.  As a result, I hope you learn from our experience. ALWAYS take the time to eat food before entering the movie theater.  I don’t care if you’re 30 minutes late and miss all the previews, the cost savings are more than worth it.  Needless to say, after dropping $40 for not-so-healthy food and drinks for the four of us, we took our seats and watched those annoying in-theater ads for the next half-hour.

 

The overall experience, however, was priceless.  In addition to the fact the movie was beautifully filmed and you can never go wrong with talking animals (especially when the rat is voiced by Steve Buschemi), it was totally amazing to watch that film through the eyes of my children.  The message of community and consideration, the touching storyline of friendship and sacrifice, the humorous moments that made my son sit up and laugh hysterically, as if a giant spider where tickling him uncontrollably – it was all worth the price of admission, if not concessions.

 

I have always maintained a certain OCD’ness towards semantics.  As an aspiring writer, I always try to use the right words in the right context.  As a result, I am not a big fan of when people say “spend time with my kids” or “spend the rest of my life with you.”  To spend means to use up, exhaust or squander.  The word implies waste, and there is nothing romantic or noble about “wasting” time with someone.  Instead, I prefer to ‘share’ my time with my kids.  Share thoughts, share food, share experiences.  Share dreams, share moments, and share laughter.  As Merriam-Webster describes it, “to partake of, use, experience, occupy, or enjoy with others.”

 

So it was that I shared my Friday night with my children and, of course, my Leelee.  The fact that I could be there with the three of them made everything perfect.  It’s moments like those that remind me of how blessed I am.  It is nights filled with movies, laughter, and over-priced popcorn that strengthen the bonds Lee, the kids and I have created.  It’s not just American culture, but the culture of the family I have in Natalie, Daniel and Lee.  And if moments like those were cinematic stories of their own, they would definitely get two thumbs way up!

It’s hard to believe that people make a living planning parties.  From the logistics of a site to the invitation list to food and refreshments, there is a lot of work involved in throwing a party.  Throw in the dynamic of guests coming in from out of town and little extras like gift exchanges and ice breaker games, and the workload just gets bigger and bigger.

Last Saturday, Lee and I hosted a holiday party for about 30 of our closest friends.  Lee and I may have been the hosts, but all the credit for the planning and executing of the event goes to Lee.  Had it been left to me, there would have been tons of beer, a couple of sodas, chicken wings and a bunch of bored women watching men watch football.  As it turns out, the party was a huge success.  From the decorations to the food to the drinks to the gift exchange to the “Guess the Guest” game; it was all made possible by Lee’s desire, drive and determination.

I am sure I made my ‘behind-the-scenes’ contributions.  After all, it was MY cooler that was used to keep the beer cold.  But I can’t stop raving at how incredible a job Lee did with regards to the party.  Given how all the guests have come back and been nothing but complimentary about the fiesta and how great a time they had, it is clear not only to me that Lee did a spectacular job.

As a result, I sit here and think about how cool a girlfriend Lee is.  I smile at the thought of how generous a person she is.  I shed a happy tear at knowing how beautiful a woman, both visually and spiritually, she is.   The result of all this pondering leaves me in awe at how fortunate I am to be with someone like her.

I am less than 16 days away from the anniversary of an event that literally changed my life.  It was an event that made me question everything I knew, doubt everything I believed, and shook me to the core.  For me, it was my rock bottom moment.
Yet at the same time, it was the beginning of a new life for me.  It was a revitalizing moment that opened my eyes and cleared my head…..and my heart.  And as I look back on the past year, with all its wonderful moments and amazing memories, it is a moment I thank God happened. 

So now I am gearing up for an event-filled December with more parties, holiday celebrations, road trips, basketball games and a certain someone’s birthday.  December blends into January that has in store an awesome cruise, more road trips, and college football bowl games (which translates into football viewing parties). 

It’s apparent that whether it’s planning a party or a month full of events, there are good times to be had in the ultimate execution of these plans.  But sometimes it’s the unexpected moments - the unplanned events - that really make a difference.  I still maintain that everything happens for a reason.  From the good to the bad, whether we understand it or not, everything we experience in life is part of God’s master plan.  In a little over 2 weeks it will have been one year since I thought my world ended.  In a little over 2 weeks it will have been one year since my new, wonderful, and amazing life began!

Special thanks to Shannon Hallman and Catherine Arms for all your help with the party.  You two are wonderful and you both totally RAWK!