Nineteen-year old Justin sat perched on the edge of his bed, one long leg hanging off to the floor. His head was bent; long, soccer-player locks fell across his forehead and almost obscured his chocolate-honey eyes. His arms cradled a guitar; strong, mesmerizing fingers strummed and chorded while he played me a serenade.
I, on the other corner of the bed, melted. He was so passionate. So talented. So handsome.
Shaking the hair from his face, he looked up at me and grinned, highlighting the sexy scar on his cheek. He must have been able to read my temperature. Seeing that I was swooning into adoration, he switched quickly into a Nirvana riff. Then Green Day. Then Bush: Glycerine. We laughed and sang off-key to our favorite 90's grunge.
I was so in love with this man I'd only known for a month.
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July, 2011
Thirty-year old Justin sat perched on the arm of our couch. We'd unearthed an old, dusty guitar from the depths of our closet. In the middle of the cleaning storm required for new flooring throughout the entire house, this was one of the happy surprises: remember this, Sarah? An out-of-tune Green Day song rolled through the house, echoing off the new, hard floors.
The girls jumped in small circles around him, begging for him to play music! play music! He spent most of their bedtime tuning the guitar into something resembling a pitch, and then....Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
It was a serenade. A lullaby. A halting attempt to remember the shape of a chord.
The girls fell in love with this guitar-playing hero with powerful, gentle arms, and capable hands. His back strained in concentration with white-tshirt stretched across shoulders that effortlessly carry children, piggy-back style.
Later, he looked up the chording for a few of the girls' favorite songs: Five Speckled Frogs, Baby Bumblebee, Kookaburra. He wants to surprise them with new material tomorrow night.
I'm so in love with this man I've only known for 11 years.
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It's occurring to me that I'm spending a lot of Bigger Picture musings on my husband, lately. But it's true: he's so entwined in what makes my life special and memorable, that I can't help but share some of it with you. Even if it makes me seem like a gushing bride. Perhaps that's what I am, after all; I like it: it feels like floating on rivers of chocolate-honey while listening to grunge lullabies. Quite a unique feeling, really.
We're seeing the Bigger Picture through simple moments -- moments that force us to stop and take notice of the ways our worlds are important, meaningful, and beautiful. Please join us at Melissa's place today! Grab the button, link up and then go forth to encourage the two people before you as they walk this journey of intentional living.
I agree with you. There is something about watching your man doing something sweet to make your children feel loved and special that makes you melt and swoon all over again.
ReplyDeleteSWOON!
ReplyDeleteYou go right ahead and gush, Bride. Who could ever get tired of seeing the million ways that love permeates life? NOT ME!!
I promise I didn't read this before I wrote mine about *my* husband! I guess we're on the same wavelength today of knowing exactly how big of a jackpot we hit with these husbands of ours :)
ReplyDeleteLove this Sarah. And it makes perfect sense that you are still the blushing bride. Grunge lullabies sound like a piece of heaven to me.
ReplyDeleteAnthony received a guitar for his 6th birthday on Monday on he has played non-stop every day since. I love it! It brings me back to when I played the banjo.
Instruments tie us to the past and future. It is a good thing!
You sounding like a gushing bride = one of many reasons I love you. And I love the way your loves for Justin comes through in your writing. {Also, is it just me or do husbands get like all kinds of extra sexy while we mamas are pregnant?}
ReplyDeleteAnd I had to laugh totally outload at the part about playing Bush's Glycerine. That's one of the songs I played on my guitar and sang over and over and over until my little sister told me I was probably embarking on copyright enfringement. HA!
Totally love this today. It is amazing.
ReplyDeleteGreat songs. I love that moment where time collapses and you could be anywhere, any time, with the person who complements you best.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet, Sarah. And how impressive that he can still play and WANTS to find songs to play for the girls. What a wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE positive and swooning posts about husbands because there just aren't enough and marriage rocks! :-)
ReplyDeleteMy hubby plays guitar too, although not really when we were dating. I love seeing all the kids gathered around him like groupies begging for more. So cute!
Awwwww....I'm speechless. This is adorable. There's nothing better than seeing your husband bond with the kiddos.
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