Friday

The Big Surprise!

Y'all, I am a nervous wreck! I'm trying to pull off the biggest surprise thus far in our marriage that, at the time, sounded like a good idea.

With Troy changing jobs and me quitting my job this year, we didn't quite work in a summer vacation -- family or otherwise. And if ever anyone could USE a vacation, it's when trying to figure out a new job. So, I had such a grand idea -- I would KIDNAP my husband for our anniversary, forcing him to break away from work and church duties and perhaps relax a little.

I even took into account that it would be deer season, but AT THE TIME, he didn't have a place to go hunt unless someone else invited him. One buddy left open a 'standing invitation' to go anytime, but I got in touch with said buddy and told him, "you can't go this weekend!" All was cool...

I think it was 3 days before the season opened Troy settled on a great opportunity for a lease not too far away. He didn't hunt the first weekend, just getting things ready. This weekend is supposed to be perfect weather for hunting. Troy's planning on being out there all day. Only, he won't be in this county. I am REALLY nervous about how this will go over. And if you're thinking, "Well, he'll just have to get over that..." then you are not married to a hunter. If you're thinking, "Oh, bless her soul. I'll say a prayer..." then you totally get it.

This week has made me question the wisdom of getting married during deer season anyway. Believe me, if it were this big of a deal to him 16 years ago, we wouldn't have. Troy knew a guy that moved his wedding up so that he wouldn't get married on opening day of deer season. Later, they divorced because she was fed up with him hunting all the time (is the story I got -- I'm sure it's far more complicated than that). But, she kind of knew what she was getting into, right?

For Troy, deer hunting has become his "thing" over the course of our marriage, and even more so in the last 5-8 years. And, as much as I don't care to join him, I'm thankful he has it. My exercise is where I go to get my head put back on the right way -- it unknots my tangled brain. Deer hunting does that for Troy -- and I get that. I just hope that a weekend away with his wife comes in a close second.

Last night, to try to calm my nerves about how this would go over, I asked him, "Do you love me more than hunting?" The pause told me he knew the right answer, but he also thought it was unfair of me to ask... :-)

Every time I have been tempted to worry about the one million six ways this weekend could go wrong, I lift a prayer, "Lord, be in the details!" And He is. Feel free to join me in prayer!

Oh, and happy anniversary to my sweetie!

7 comments:

Bob said...

I worked for a home builder for several years - we actually had "Deer Season" as a delay factor in our formula for calculating how long it would take to build a house!

Roxanne said...

I am hoping the hedge has grown BIG AND LUSH and is impenetrable for the entire weekend. And you know I KNOW about "perfect" deer-hunting weather, but it will come again. And you've heard my mom's thing about hunters, "When a man asks you to marry him while driving through the game reserve looking for deer, you know what you're getting into." :) Glad I got to stand beside you 16 years ago.

And Bob, that totally cracked me up.

Susan said...

Sarah Lu,

I'm praying for you to have a super, wonderful time with your sweetie. Of course he loves you more than deer season!!!!

Anonymous said...

Maybe you will get lucky and hit one on the way home or something. Think positive!

Roxanne said...

Tucker. . .that was just so completely hilarious and spot on, dude.

mindy said...

Hope the two of you have lots of fun together....it's hard to relate to the hunting thing, but I'm guessing it would be a whole lot like taking Keith away during an oh so important ncaa basketball tournament game...so I'll say a prayer for y'all:) happy anniversary!

Anonymous said...

I betcha he's enjoying being with you as much as we're enjoying keeping the kids while you're gone.