Once upon a time...part 2

As I was saying FDH had just asked for a job. A job that would determine our future home. What would the answer be?

The answer was........Yes! He was looking for somebody, he had just leased a place, and would need someone in a few weeks. In a few weeks...this was October, we wouldn't be married till December. And where was this job? Two hours away! OH MY! That would mean that, no I couldn't face it, it was just to awful to think about! That would mean that FDH would move up there, alone, until we were to be married in December. That would mean that we would be apart, apart! What an awful word. How could we stand the separation? Oh woe is us!

As Dh always does, he convinced me to look on the bright side. It wouldn't really be that long. And he would come back to see me on the weekends. Poor dear brave man. I could see through his facade. He was trying to be so brave. I knew that in his heart he was crying and as upset at being away from me, just as much as I was at being away from him. Um....at least I am pretty sure he was upset. I know that all the questions he was asking about the country, and the horses, and that look, yes he had this look, of....excitement, adventure? It was all just a front....at least I was pretty sure it was.

While all this life changing stuff was happening, my DM was at full sail. Sailing through the ocean of wedding planning. The dress had been bought, the invitations had been ordered. The guest list was complete. The shower was in the planning stages. Bridesmaids dresses, what would the groomsmen wear? Those were now the questions being asked. My answer, I don't care, whatever you think. I decided that if DM wanted a wedding she could have one. And If she wanted a big one, well I could oblige. I had 6 gals picked for bridesmaids, and DFH had 6 fellas picked out for groomsmen. I had the day, December the 30th, and the time, 7:00 in the evening,ingrained in my head. All we had to do was show up.

You may be wondering....what was my DD's take on all this foo fooyness. To sum it up, he offered DFH and I three thousand dollars if we would just elope. Living in the same house with me and my mother had just about driven him to the loony bin. And he was somewhat concerned with the date we had chosen. He kept asking, " Are you sure December the 30th is a wise idea. What about bad weather, have you thought about that?" To which I answered," On pish posh daddy, you silly man. The weather will be fine. The sky will be blue, the birds will be tweeting, you just wait and see." Oh to have listened to the wise words of ones Father. As the first of December dawned with an ice storm, I would often throughout, the month ponder his words. Meanwhile back at the ranch.....

The Y Ranch to be exact FDH was settling right in. We had hauled all his worldly possessions up to our future home. By this time we had acquired a bed. It was my great grandmothers very tall, very heavy very old bed. I painted it a new shade of shiny black, placed our new mattress's on with new sheets, and two pillows and he was good to go. I had also acquired an old dresser and two night stands from an old motel going out of business. I refinished them, and they looked pretty snazzy. We laughed about our motel furniture. But it provided us with many years of service. Little by little we collected, refinished, reused and bought very little new, furniture. We were blessed to have a huge shower. I didn't have to buy dishes, kitchen things, sheets, towels and such for many years. I would drive up at least once a week, " to put things away". And to hang my homemade curtains, and just generally feather my nest. The only fly in the ointment was....the furnace was out in the house, and the boss was dragging his heels about fixing it. DFH did most of his living in the kitchen with the oven door open. Remember this fact, it is important to my story later on.

Finally, December was upon us! And so was the weather. December blew in cold. Colder then we had had in years. My daddy's words rang in my head. No! I just wouldn't have it. The weather was going to be fine. Week one, cold and getting colder. Week two, cold with ice. Week three. Christmas. Very cold, ice storm,came, ice storm went, but wouldn't thaw. DFH drove in the ice to come for Christmas. Said all the water had frozen at our house. He hadn't had a bath in.......I really don't know the last time. No problem, our water is OK. Week of the wedding. Cold, cold and colder still. Ice storm is on its way. Ice storm hits. Water at our house, frozen solid. Daddy spends all his time breaking ice, trying to thaw out water lines. Feed cows and put up with two crazy women in his house. DFH spends all his time, breaking ice, thawing out water lines, feeding cows, and trying to convince his future bride that all is well, and the wedding really will happen, and if she doesn't quit crying over the phone her tears will freeze and it will be stuck to her head. Night of the wedding rehearsal. It is cold, there is ice all over the place. The bride has come down with a horrible cold. The brides mother has dosed her with antibiotics. Said antibiotics have given her an awful reaction. She has broken out in hives all over her body. To counteract the reaction the brides mother has now given her benadryl, every 4 hours. The bride can hardly see straight by this point. Oh, frozen water report. Now the water is still frozen in our house, in my grandmothers house across the road....and at the church. And not only that....where is the groom? He was supposed to be here, the roads are bad. Oh my where can he be? Will the cowboy and the farmers daughter have the wedding her mother had always dreamed of? Are will it be canceled due to the return of the iceage? Will the cowboy show up? Will he ford through the storm into his waiting brides arm's. Or has the unthinkable happened, on an icy Texas road? All you questions will be answered in the thrilling conclusion of Once Upon A Time in a Little Country Church.....Part 3.