Boxes of Books and a Spoon

My sweet husband has never been the nerd that I am.  He was not an avid reader and claims he never reads.  (Of course, I have caught hime scouring through gardening and livestock magazines and he read a book about UT football cover to cover one weekend.  So, I think he is a closet reader if there is a topic of his interest - like everybody else!)  After moving all of the STUFF out of my classroom yesterday, he claims he absolutely hates books!  (Like a knife through my heart!)

I cannot say that I blame him because he lifted and carted and unloaded and carted at least a dozen huge plastic tubs of books yesterday. 

A few tubs of my books.

That doesn't even include the fourteen book cases where the books used to rest

like these seen here...

or these shown with a few more boxes and tubs of books...

or these with the rolly cart and posters...

or the stool, odd tables, file cabinet, rolling desk chair,

and other sundries.

  Never did he complain or whine to me about it.  Oh, every now and again I'd hear him mumbling or he would sit down to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his eyes and say, "Woman, you never can do anything in a small way can you?" or, "Woman, do you ever go anywhere that you don't have loads of stuff?"  Through it all, though, he was smiling and winking at me.

What could have been a very emotional day of leaving good friends and tackling a mountain of materials was made smooth and somewhat simple by this big teddy bear of a guy.  And, you know, I think what he enjoyed most was when somebody would stop in to say good-bye and give me a hug.  Mike truly is probably my biggest cheerleader and thinks far more of me than I think I really am.  He loved it all even with all the back breaking book lifting and sweating. 

This past few days I have been reminded of a couple of conversations my friend, Angela, and I had several years ago at a conference (where we were probably buying books and such for our classroom).  When we were alone in the truck or at our room, she asked me if I ever thought I would get married again.  My response was that maybe someday a guy would come along and we could share our lives together.  Then, the next day we were in a workshop and these two retired educators were setting up and preparing for their presentation.  The fellow was doing everything he could to make things just so for the woman.  Then, he gave her a glowing introduction and indicated that he was lucky enough to have been married to her for a number of years.  All through the workshop I noticed how he looked at her and was quick to help her and make things go more smoothly.  I saw how he waited after the presentation to talk to folks and listen to what they said to and about his wife.  I leaned over to Angela and told her that was what I wanted.  She looked at me like I'd lost my mind.  I'm sure that she was thinking, why would you want an old guy like that? or something more literal than what I saw.  So, I explained.  See how he looks at her like she is a bowl of ice cream and he has a spoon in his pocket?  He could just eat her up with a spoon he thinks she is so wonderful! 

I am a lucky woman and I love Mike for the way he loves and believes in me.  While I have been weathering through the decision and preparations of starting a new adventure along this journey for the past several days, I swear, I believe I heard a spoon jingling around in his pocket.