One of John's colleagues moonlights as a comedian, so on Friday night, we went out to see one of his shows. But before I tell you about that, let me back up and give props to my wonderful husband for the fabulous surprise he had in store for me when I got home from work that day. I walked in to candles burning, romantic music playing, a bottle of champagne chilling on ice and a delicious dinner prepared for me. It was such an awesome surprise and it could not have been any more perfect. He is such a sweetheart! And, he informed me that he made us Valentine's reservations but wouldn't tell me where because he wants it to be a surprise! I love it!!! Valentine's is a special day for us because it is our dating anniversary. We had our first real date at Viva Fresh Pasta in Northampton seven years ago this coming Valentine's Day! It's amazing how time flies and how life can be such a surprise. Never in a million years would I have imagined my life as it is back on that fateful day, but now, seven years later, I am happily married to a man that I love beyond words and I feel truly blessed that I have him in my life. But, enough about all that. Wow...I got off on a tangent!
Anyway, back to Friday night. John and I arrived at the comedy show a little early, so we decided to get a drink at the bar before entering the show. After finally flagging down a bartender (the service was not the best), we ordered our usual...me a glass of wine and John a beer. The bartender, an older woman, asks, or rather orders us to show her our ID's as she breezed by us to get our drinks. Now, getting carded is nothing new to us. I would consider us rather youthful looking, so I can certainly understand a bartender wanting proof of age. We often get a surprised response, something along the lines of "you look so young!", but that was not the response we got from this bartender. When she returned with our drinks, she grabbed our ID's, studied them for a minute, looked up at us and said "Wow, You're Old!". What?!?! Old? John's only 27, me only 26. Since when is that old? The bartender turned around and zipped off to her next customer, leaving John and I speechless for a second. We turned to each other and began laughing. That certainly was something neither of us had ever heard before, especially from someone who was clearly much older than us, but comical nonetheless. So, I guess it's official...we're old.
And speaking of being old, I would like to take a minute to honor one of the most special individuals I have ever had the privilege of knowing and loving...my Miss Bailey. Yesterday was Bailey's 5th birthday. It's hard to believe that she is 5 already. It's feels like she was just a little pup...unable to climb stairs, chewing on anything she could get her little paws on, having "accidents" in the most inconvenient of places (like on the couch or on John's roommate's bed), learning all of her little puppy tricks, being mischievous, not listening to a word I say, dragging me down the street by her leash, eating off the corners of all our windowsills, eating my very expensive sunglasses, eating our houseplants, eating my socks (see a trend here?!?). Well, those puppy days are long gone. Our girl is such a wonderful and well behaved grown lady now. She listens to our every command, she knows what belongs to her and wouldn't dare touch anything that is not her property, she can walk down the street without a leash, she can be let out into the yard alone without fear of her running off, she is such a lover, such a cuddle bug. She is truly a wonderful dog and a wonderful source of joy to have around. Just seeing that little face, which has begun to show it's age (dad likes to call her "Old Graybeard" in reference to her white chin hairs), makes me blissfully happy. She has such incredible intuition and knows exactly what to do to make me happy. If I am sad, she will come and rest her chin on my lap. If I am happy, she'll prance around me, and rub up against my leg in excitement. If I am home alone, she doesn't leave my side as though it is her sole purpose in life to protect me. She acts as though the world is about to end if I yell at her and will mope around and carry on until I forgive her. I can honestly say that she has changed my life forever and made me a better person. She is, without a doubt, one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I constantly tell her that she is an angel sent straight to me from heaven. And you know what? I believe it. So, here is to my special girl. My bunny, my monkey, my Miss Bailey. Happy Birthday B!
And, finally, I would just like to take a moment to mark another exciting and momentous occasion in our lives. John has his first closing as a realtor today. I know it is the first of many in his blossoming career. He is already a fabulous real estate agent, and I know he is destined for great things. I am so proud of him for making the leap into the unknown to follow his dreams. I envy his clarity in his career goals. I feel joy from his joy each time he gets a new client or strikes a new deal. My Johnny is destined for great things and I am just thankful to be along for the ride.
