SPRING HAS SPRUNG

SPRING HAS SPRUNG
THE GRASS IS RIZ
I WONDER WHERE
THE FLOWERS IS?

EVERYWHERE! HOW WONDERFUL! I REALIZE THAT IF I HAVE TO EXPERIENCE GRIEF OF THIS MAGNITUDE, AT LEAST I ONLY HAVE TO OPEN MY EYES AND SEE THE GIFTS OF MY HEAVENLY FATHER. TRULY SEEING THE BEAUTY LEAVES NO ROOM FOR THE PAIN OF LOSS. WELL, AT LEAST IT SHOULD NOT LEAVE ROOM, MAYBE WE CROWD GRIEF INTO EVERY SITUATION IF WE TRY HARD ENOUGH. DAD MARTIN COULD NOT SLEEP WELL LAST NIGHT FOR THINKING ABOUT BOBBIE JO. I SOMETIMES FORGET THAT HE TOO, IS SUFFERING. WHY MEN THINK THEY HAVE TO BOTTLE UP EVERYTHING, IS BEYOND ME. DAD MARTIN LOVES ALL OF HIS CHILDREN SO MUCH, AND THIS HAS BEEN SO VERY HARD ON HIM. I WISH I COULD HELP HIM AS HE HAS HELPED ME. HE IS A ROCK, A MOUNTAIN. HE NEEDS TO LEAN ON ME, BUT HE THINKS HE HAS TO PROTECT ME. WELL, I AM TRYING TO PEAK OUT FROM BEHIND HIS WALL OF STRENGTH, AND STAND ON MY OWN. EVERYONE THINKS I AM DOING SO WELL, AND I GUESS I AM, BUT NOT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT AND STRENGTH OF MY SWEETHEART.
NOW, FOR MORE OF THE LOVESTORY. AFTER BEING TAKEN HOME THAT WONDERFUL AND MAGICAL NIGHT, I RECEIVED A SWEET KISS AND A THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL EVENING. MARTIN SAID, "I HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN" AND LEFT. WELL, I HOPED TO SEE HIM TOO, AND ASSUMED HE WOULD CALL ME THE NEXT DAY. NO CALL. MONDAY CAME, NO CALL. I AM STARTING TO WONDER- WELL, TUESDAY, NO CALL. SHOOT. COULD HE REALLY BE A PART OF THE JIMENY CRICKET CLUB?? FINALLY FRIDAY CAME, WITH NO CALL, AND I HAVE ALL BUT WRITTEN HIM OFF- AFTER ALL I GUESSED HE WAS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. I CAME HOME FROM WORK, AND THERE IT WAS! A NOTE ON THE DOOR SAYING, "PLEASE DON'T MAKE ANY PLANS, I WANT TO SEE YOU TOMORROW. YOU FORGOT TO GIVE ME YOUR PHONE NUMBER. HERE IS MINE". WHOOPEE! I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON I HAD NOT HEARD FROM HIM! SO, BRIGHT AND EARLY ON SATURDAY, I PUT ON THE "COOL ME" AND DIALED THE NUMBER. IT WAS HIS PLACE OF WORK, A HARDWARE STORE. "IS MARTIN THERE? " I SWEETLY ASK. "" MARTIN!!!! SOME GIRL ON THE PHONE-"HE YELLS. I WAIT. "HELLO' SAYS THE MOST WONDERFUL VOICE IN THE WORLD. "HELLO MARTIN-THIS IS JODIE" I SAY I MY MOST INVITING VOICE. "WHO?" HE SAYS. (WHAT DO YOU ME WHO? YOU BUFFOON" I THINK TO MYSELF. "IT'S JODIE, YOU KNOW THE GIRL YOU WENT OUT WITH LAST WEEK?" "WHICH ONE" HE SAYS. I SLAM DOWN THE PHONE. HE WILL CALL BACK. I KNOW IT. I WAIT. 5 MINUTES. SO I CALL HIM BACK. "MAY I SPEAK TO MARTIN?" "MARTIN, SOME GIRL IS ON THE PHONE FOR YOU!!!" YELLS THE GUY. "HELLO" SAYS MARTIN. "HELLO MARTIN IT'S JODIE AGAIN. YOU LEFT ME A NOTE TELLING ME TO CALL YOU. SO I CALLED." "DID I LEAVE YOU A NOTE? WHEN? HE SAYS. I SLAM DOWN THE PHONE. "PIG", I SAY TO MYSELF. WELL HE WILL CALL BACK. I WAIT, NO CALL. 5 MINUTES, I CALL HIM BACK. THE SAME OLD ROUTINE FROM THE GUY WHO ANSWERS. MARTIN COMES TO THE PHONE. IT'S ME, JODIE. YOU LEFT ME A NOTE, AND I CALLED YOU LIKE YOU SAID. YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO SEE ME. SO WHAT'S THE DEAL? DID YOU WANT TO GO OUT WITH ME OR WHAT?" (MEANING, WAS HE ASKING ME OR WHAT?) MR. SMART JIMENY CRICKET SAID, "SURE, GLAD YOU ASKED!" I SLAMMED DOWN THE PHONE. FORGET IT. HE IS A JERK, HE DOESNT EVEN LIKE FUDGE. THEN I REMEMBER, HE CAN'T CALL BACK, HE DOESN'T HAVE MY NUMBER. SO, I CALL BACK, GO THROUGH THE RIGAMAROLE, AND HE IS BACK ON THE PHONE. HE SAYS" YOD DIDN'T GIVE ME YOUR PHONE NUMBER, SO I COULD'NT CALL YOU BACK. SO, I AM GLAD YOU CALLED, BECAUSE I WANTED TO TAKE YOU OUT. BUT YOU KEPT HANGING UP ON ME BEFORE I COULD TELL YOU I WAS TEASING YOU." OH JIMENEY CRICKET. GREAT IMPRESSION I MADE. BUT HE LOVES IT, SAYS HE LOVES A "SASSY WOMAN". WELL GOOD, 'CAUSE THAT IS WHAT I AM! TOMORROW, I WILL TELL YOU OF THE DATE WE HAD THAT NIGHT. THIS IS SO MUCH FUN FOR ME, AS I RECALL THESE HAPPY MOMENTS IN OUR LIVES. THANKS FOR SHARING! LOVE, NANASEE