#1,855 Walker Lunch + Surprise Supper.
I got such an early start at work this morning, I actually felt like I had done enough by lunch time that I could sneak away and run out to mama’s house and get some playtime in with John Walker, who has like… at least 100 teeth now. He’s really into running around waving his arm that’s stuck inside mama’s Kindle sleeve which is kind of like an oven mitt for electronics, and also getting us to read his book about colors. He barrels into hugs like a little cinder block on wheels, and he stares into your eyes dead serious, then slowly… A crooked little smirk turns into a full blown grin. And then you feel like you’ve really done something special.
And then I went back to work and plugged away as hard as I could until well after the sun went down. By 5:30 Ben was finished with his work, but hanging around the shop like a good sport because he didn’t want to leave me there alone. By 6:00 he gave me a kiss and said he was going to go home and make something easy for dinner since we’re trying not to eat out as much. I expected omelets maybe, or grilled cheeses. I grumbled about cooking, and mumbled “love you, bye” without looking up from my work. My back was aching, my creativity was an hour gone, and all I wanted was to leave too. But I couldn’t. Only one of us can do the design work, and it’s not him.
I finally left work at 7:45 and came home to find him pouring a homemade BBQ glaze with grilled apple slices onto grilled porkchops, a skillet of roasted asparagus and mushrooms, baked potatoes, buttered and toasted baguettes, and salad with extra red peppers (my favorite) and homemade ranch dressing (buttermilk—we may not always eat out, but we’re eating good). He had folded and put away the clean clothes that had been piling up in the laundry room these last few days. And my heart ached because I barely acknowledged his goodbye kiss after work, and I insisted that we just go eat out because I was too tired to cook and clean… But he was gracious to me, and took care of everything that had been worrying me that I hadn’t even mentioned. He acted as if my grouchy attitude all afternoon never happened. He told me he loved me.
And that’s when I remember that God’s grace is real. Because every once in a while, you see it in the people around you in a profound (but quiet) way.
It’s a good man I married. Thank you, Big.