Be careful what you ask for!

I've recently been in a funk. As much as my husband tries to understand, he doesn't get it. I think it's the testosterone vs. estrogen phenomenon! But here'a brief glimpse of our recent weeks...

After a completely normal, enjoyable date night without the girls, I had a meltdown. Yes, you know the one with tears that you can't even explain, but it sure feels good to let them flow. That's the kind I had. I really don't know what triggered it, but I finally decided (which may or may not have been the real source) that I was bored with life.

Now, here's where it get's crazy. I told him that our life is too perfect! Yep, that was my diagnosis at that moment.

Here's a picture of our "problem"--Chad and I don't fight. We have jobs we enjoy. Our children, friends, and family members are healthy. Our children are rather well behaved. They do well in school. We can pay our bills. Chad comes home each night. He loves our children. He helps care for our chilren. He even washes clothes.

Sounds miserable, huh? I told you it was crazy. I eventually decided that our lives are boring and predictable. Yes, "predictable" was the word I used. I told Chad that it seems like we get up, say "good morning", get ready for work, get the kids ready for school, kiss goodbye, go to work, come home, kiss, debrief, eat, get ready for the next day, kiss goodnight, go to bed, and REPEAT.

Nothing on the list is bad. I actually enjoy most of the items on the list. The lack of impulse or interruption was what I was bored with. Well, apparently when I was having this conversation, God was listening (I know, right?). He decided to add a little unpredictability to our lives. Within the month following that conversation with Chad things began to happen...and happen...and...happen!

1. Shannon..stomach virus...vomit in Chad's truck.
2. Taylor...stomach virus...vomit in Blake's diapter bag.
3. Blake...ear infection...fever and no sleep for 5 days.
4. Chad...sinus infection junk.
5. Women of Faith event with speaker of my dreams...cancelled.
6. Kennedy...flu.
7. Chad's mom...gall bladder surgery.
8. Weather...blew a piece of the fence over (remember the dead dog)
9. Chad's job...
10. Texas budget crisis...will I have a job next year?
11. Blake standing up and letting go...

So, things really aren't so boring or predictable in the Dickerson house these days. For the last 6 days we've all been healthy...maybe things will get back to "boring and predictalbe" again soon.

Do you want a fork or a spoon?

Bet you're already wondering what the heck that could possibly mean! This is classic. Classic what, I'm really not sure. But, it sounds like a great lead into a story!

After the wedding and the honeymoon, life began for the Dickerson Duo. Both of us worked in Tyler for the first two and a half months of our marriage. Like love-struck newlyweds, we rode to work together, met for lunch, rode home together, and spent every waking moment "in love" with each other. Let me stop here and let you in on a conversation between my mother and myself when I was much, much younger.

Mom: Shannon, come in here and help me cook dinner. One day you're going to want to know how to cook.

Me: No thanks! I'm going to be a rich doctor and pay someone to cook for me!

Mom: I'm sure you are going to be a rich doctor, but you still might want to cook.

Me: Nah, I can read. That's all you have to do to be able to cook, right? It's like a lab experiment.

Mom: Okay, maybe next time.


I'm sure some of you already know where this is going, but you're wrong. I did not mess up a meal...well, not that I'm telling you about now. I was smarter than that! I knew I couldn't cook. So, what does a young bride do when she has cooked both meals that she knows how, has gone to every restaurant in Henderson multiple times, and is trying to avoid another sandwich? Well, this nifty lady decided to provide her precious husband with Ravioli right from the chef...you know the one in the can from the grocery store by the last name Boyardee.


So, being the conscientious wife that I was, I asked Chad if he ate his ravioli in a bowl or on a plate. He very nicely responded, "it doesn't matter". I asked again only to get the same answer. So, I went with my preference--in a bowl. Still trying to measure up to his expectations, I asked him yet another question, "do you want a fork or a spoon?" to which Mr.Communication replied, "it doesn't matter". At this point, I began to get a little irritated with him because I wanted it to be like he was used to. I mean surely he had eaten ravioli before, right? So, our "first fight" ended with huge smiles and Chad eating ravioli from a bowl with a fork and a spoon!

What do ya think?

Ok, so we did see each other again and again and again. Clearly, he was smitten with me. I know, I wasn't surprised either. So we began spending what could have been our children's college education fund on phone bills. Chad made several trips to Arkansas, and I went home to East Texas some (though not enough to please my mother).

For Christmas that year Chad bought be an electric blanket. It was exactly what I wanted, but let me just say that when you get back to school in January and everyone asks, "What did he get your for Christmas?" the words "electric blanket" are immediately followed by "WHAT?".

But, let's back up just a moment...the day after Christmas 1999. Chad and I spent the day together. I honestly don't remember what all we did. I do know that about 8PM we went to an incredibly high-class restaurant called Taco Bell. We had gourmet tacos for dinner. Remember, we're poor kids at this point (now we're just poor old people). Afterwards, we went back to his parents' house and watched tv for a while. At some point they went to bed, and Chad pulled me into his lap in his father's recliner. He was so precious as he opened a small velvet box with a diamond solitaire ring. Remember, he is Mr.Communication. He said,

"What do ya think?"

Clearly taken by surprise (after all, I had only known this man about five months), I responded with, "That is pretty. Whose is it?" Apparently he didn't really appreciate my nervous humor because he just kind of laughed. Then he said, "ok, let me try this again" and went on to give me the sweetest speech that I don't even remember. Eventually in the speech, he asked if I would marry him.

I am sure you're wondering what my answer was, right? Obviously, I agreed to eventually marry him. I was no more of a risk taker then than I am now. June 2001 we did get married. (NOTE TO MY KIDS-->AFTER I finished college.) We just recently celebrated our 9th anniversary. I can honestly say the words "what do ya think" have been answered with the phrase "prolly, prolly so" about a thousand times in the last nine years, and every single time makes me smile with love for him.