88 Months!

Yesterday was our 88th monthiversary, and it was a little extra sweet in my soul, I think, this time.

This virus has changed perspectives all over the place, hasn't it? It's impacted all of us in different ways, and they're all important because they're important to what's right in front of us. Being married to someone in health care has made me extra aware of how much risk he potentially faces each day. Risk I'm sure neither us will never fully grasp. And when he started working at the main hospital, I had no idea if he would end up in quarantine himself. I knew this monthiversary was coming, and I wondered if we'd have to do pictures from two sides of a bedroom window.

And while the danger hasn't passed and that time could yet come for us, I was so grateful that yesterday was a day of celebration and joy that we were able to spend together. I appreciated it a little bit more than normal, I think.

First of all, can we talk about the weather? After days on end of cold, rainy, gray, lifeless days, we had a proper sunrise and full sun all. day. long.

Ryan went to work and a bit later, he sent me this picture. One of his coworkers had brought in a breakfast pizza from Casey's, which is like the best breakfast pizza on the entire planet.

I had to laugh, because this was our text conversation about it. He sent the picture above (no caption attached), and I said, "STOP. Is that Casey's??????" And he said, "Maybe...." I sent him a GIF of a girl collapsing in angst, and he replied, "It was as bad as your coffee has been." Ha!! (If you missed yesterday's blog, he's on a coffee fast, and every time I have coffee, I tell him it's so disgusting and I can't believe I'm drinking it.)

A few days ago, I'd seen a message on Facebook that said people could send messages to staff and patients at the hospital via email. Someone at the hospital would print and distribute all the messages. So I messaged a few people about it to let them know if they wanted to encourage Ryan, they could. Well, because he's been shuffled around to different places, he just got the messages yesterday. But he loved them so much! This one was from our great-niece.

We were able to FaceTime at lunch, eat "together," and he showed me the rest of his notes!

When he got home from work in the afternoon (and I was also done with work) we took our official monthiversary photo. We felt this was appropriate to commemorate the day:

And then we went for a walk! A walk with no hats, coats, or gloves! We followed all the rules of getting into the road or to the opposite sidewalk if we happened to see other people. We had the best talk. It was GLORIOUS.

People had been out throughout the day mowing their lawns, so there was that delightful scent of freshly cut grass, and it was getting close to dinner time, so some people were grilling - and that was a delightful scent, too. We saw tiny green leaves on weeping willow trees, daffodils in some landscaping, and green, green, green grass everywhere. You really appreciate that sort of thing when you haven't been out of the house much in the last few weeks.

And look at this! Remember when I told you last summer that we'd planted a tree in memory of Ryan's mom? We purchased it in the late summer, and it was full of green leaves and life, and the employees at the nursery promised us it would bloom pink. That was the whole reason we chose that tree. Weeping (in honor of her love of a good cry) cherry (with the promise of her favorite color blooms). I'd been waiting for signs of spring life and hadn't seen them yet. But YESTERDAY, I looked over and yelled to Ryan, "LOOK AT THE MISS JUANITA!!!!!!!!!"

Oh yes. She's gonna be so pretty.

The pear tree is ALMOST ready. ALMOST.

And in non picture-documented news, our county announced a modified ban yesterday. I mentioned a time or two recently that they'd ruled last week that no one could purchase any nonessential items (paint, flowers, books, puzzles, games, craft supplies, etc.) within the county. This week, with the extension of the travel ban through April 19th (at least) they lifted the nonessential purchase ban and replaced it with a rule about how many people from a family can go in a store at one time (one adult with one cart, I believe) instead.

I told Ryan that with the sunshine, the warm day, the blooming trees, the chance to go for a walk, and the modified ban, I felt a real surge of hope in my soul. I know this virus is big and bad and far from over. Some things are bound to get worse before they get better. But it was a delightful sprig of hope for my heart on a day of celebration, and I appreciated it to the absolute MAX.

We got carryout for dinner and I rode with Ryan to get it, marking my first time to leave in a car in TWENTY DAYS. I commented on EVERYTHING on our very short drive to get food and come home. I marveled over the price of gas, the progress on a building project, and everything else that has changed wildly in the last twenty days.

After dinner we went out on the sun porch and sat and talked until long after the sun went down. DELIGHTFUL.

I love Ryan so much, and I'm freshly aware each day that we are guaranteed absolutely nothing. I'm thankful for his health and strength and endless optimism. He's quick to reassure me when I get overwhelmed. He tells me God's got us. He holds me when I cry. Any amount of mental health I have within me on the other side of this thing will be directly attributed to God's grace and Ryan's reassurance. He really is a remarkable gift, that Ryan Shaffer.

These 88 months have been a blessing beyond measure. I'm praying for 88 more...years.

LOVE YOU, RYAN!!!!

PS...Here was our March one-second-per-day video!