Friday, November 30, 2007

How Old am I?

I do believe I can officially call myself an older woman. I can't say I'm all too happy about it, but you get the idea when you stop getting carded for anything. That's okay, I'll take the high road and call myself "seasoned with life experience", thank you very much.


I received a call a few weeks ago from a friend back home. Michelle ( I have a few friends with this popular name) called to tell me that her daughter had just been proposed to. Then she cried. Then I got choked up. Because this baby girl was, well, still a baby in my eyes. We reminisced about how I was there at the house when she brought her home from the hospital and I literally held that baby all afternoon. I was fifteen at the time and Michelle was the wife of my friend's brother. She was a young mother, but very much in love with her husband and new baby. We used to sit and play cards for hours while she waited for the birth of this baby.

Stacey is the name of this sweet baby that I held so close that chilly January day in 1986. Now the poot head is 21 years old and making me feel on the old side. I saw this sweet young lady grow from a baby to a toddler with the curliest hair and enormous big brown eyes. I've seen her struggle through being a teenager and trying to find her way in this world. She's always always always had the most beautiful smile. Even when she did her time with braces. The first time she stood up in church to sing, I just wanted to bawl because she was so brave and I felt like saying "That's my girl up there!" Sure, Michelle and Davie (Dad) can take full credit for creating and raising a woman who is beautiful inside and out. But, I changed a diaper or two and have always had a soft spot in my heart for Stacey.

Now, we gotta share her with Jay. I don't know about all of this. I've gotten nothing but good reviews about this fellow, but I might need to spend some quality time with the young man before I let go. He's only met me recently and I probably didn't make the greatest first impression when I informed him that Fred has connections with Navy Seals and, you know.......

Regardless, I gotta hand it to the guy. He did the beach proposal and is building my girl a house. He is adorable and the potential for beautiful babies for me and Michelle to spoil is a plus, too. He treats our girl so good and I appreciate that more than he knows. All I ask is that he keeps up the good work or there'll be Navy Seals involved. I'm just saying.

This is one wedding next August I will do everything in my power to attend. I want to be near the front with a good seat. I want to remember tissues as I know I will cry. I want to see Davie give Stacey away and know she will be taken care of.

It is with great pleasure and happiness that I announce the engagement of Stacey and Jay for all the Internets to see. This is my girl and I love her. I look forward to loving that Jay, too!




This is engagement night. Trust me, the ring is gorgeous!



This is at the USC game. Bite your tongue, it's UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA. We are in no way related to that other team who try to use our letters on a regular basis.

CONGRATULATIONS, STACEY AND JAY!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

YOU KNOW I LOVE YA!! THANKS FOR THE POST ABOUT OUR ENGAGEMENT...I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT ALL!!! I HOPE AND PRAY THAT YA'LL WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE IT...I WILL RESERVE A SPECIAL PLACE FOR YA. I LOVE YOU HOPE!!!!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Awwww... congratulations to your special girl... My best friend's son is almost 11 and this is a suddenly big number for me to take in. I can't imagine when he turns 21!

Anonymous said...

Girl you know I'm right there w/ya. I can remember when a child I babysat under the age of 1, was joining the Navy a few years ago.... So us old gals will just have to hang together! LOL

Krys72599 said...

Good morning, Miss Hope!
Last August hubby and I attended the wedding of the daughter of one of our two best men (one for my maid of honor and one for my matron of honor!).
I was sitting with the wife of the *other* best man, and I leaned over and commented, "I can't believe Lesley is getting married. She's, what? Twelve?"
You see, when I met hubby's friends oh-so-many years ago, Lesley was a little girl, pre-teen, petite, most definitely a *little girl*.
Old enough to marry? Old enough to own a house? Old enough to live away from home?
I think not.
(She'll always be twelve to me!)

Anonymous said...

Hope, That was the sweetest thing anyone could have said, and you made me cry even more. I don't know what I will do come the day of the wedding, I guess I don't even need to ware make-up(lol). Thanks for your posting and we sure did miss you last night at the Tree Lighting at church, but Cindy did mention you and your family and it was like you were there with us. I love you all, Michelle

OneHungMan said...

OHM went to the wedding of a close personal friend's daughter a couple of years ago. OHM coached her and loved her and her sister when they were each dinky doodles. After 15 years of knowing and loving her like his own sister, OHM's eyes watered at her wedding because she'll always be 8 to him.

Anonymous said...

Hope
Is Jay from the city by the lake? And his last name is a very hard metal? If so then I know this young man's family and know a little of this young man. He comes from good people. All is well.

Anonymous said...

STARBLDR...YEP...JAY IS FROM THE CITY BY THE LAKE AND HIS LAST NAME IS A VERY TOUGH METAL...THEY ARE GREAT PEOPLE AND I LOVE HIM MORE THAN ANYTHING...I AM A VERY BLESSED TO BECOME A PART OF HIS FAMILY!