The Weight/Wait of a Calendar and other Good Things

It was a good day.

Oklahoma is now a Gay Marriage State. I swore it would happen. I mean, we were the last state to ban tattoos and those are legal now. Seriously. Growing up, tattoos were forbidden, they were taboo. One had to cross a state line or “go to a guy I know who works out of his garage.” I was taught that tattoos were of the same evil weight as KISS or any other non Amy Grant music.

And then one day, boom. Legal.

* let me say that I’m not comparing gay marriage to the plight of the tattoo in Oklahoma. I’m just saying that what once seemed impossible…its now possible.

I am so beyond thrilled for my friends here in this terminally red state. Friends who get the same rights as the rest of us. I’ve offered up my officiating services to anyone who wants them. I hope they take me up on it!

After that joyous bit of news I dove head first into work. It was one of those good work days where tasks got crossed off the list, much forward motion. I have reason to believe that tomorrow’s Parent Info meeting will produce a new troop as will the one for next Tuesday. That’s what it’s all about on my end people. Recruiting adults and girls. Making it happen. Follow through. Making sure no one slips through the cracks.

The weekend reunion was full of laughter. I had so much fun on Friday night it was ridiculous. Saturday was fun too, just a different vibe altogether. Sunday was a blissful day full of nothing. Seriously. I didn’t even get out of my pj’s. Ever. I had the most relieved sense of the calendar…like finally all of the big things that had to be done…were done.

Until today when I started to try to find a weekend to go see my family in Arkansas. I’ve tried several times since July but work always interfered. I have worked most every weekend in August and September and the weekends that I had trips planned, more working popped up. When I looked at the calendar, it became clear that if we don’t go this coming weekend, I don’t have another free one until November 15th.

I don’t have another free weekend until November 15th.

What in the holy hell…is it hot in here? Can you breathe? Because I can’t breathe.

It makes me crazy to think about. Mark and I got our calendars and started marking our Thanksgiving and Christmas days off because that’s when it will happen next. And that makes me just crazy.

But this life is for the living, right? And wouldn’t I just be pissed if I wasted it, wasted one single weekend/day/week/month/moment?

I was surrounded by classmates all weekend. Some of us have aged well. Some of us have seen rough days and long nights. Some of us have fought fierce battles and won. Some of us haven’t had to fight for much at all. That connecting thread though, that moment when we’re all outside and laughing and singing at the top of our lungs we remember that we were a witness to each other’s life. And that matters. The living matters.

So I’m going to Arkansas on Friday. There are soccer games and a corn maze on the schedule for Saturday with my nephews. Fresh hair for all. Then home on Sunday to prep and leave for Harvest Fest on Wednesday. Harvest Fest. Remember when we went there? Remember the mud and the rain and the music and the Mark? 

We’re going back to the scene of the crime, ya’ll. I’m excited. Mark and I met there two years ago this month. Can you believe it? Two years? Trish and Bruce and Riley and her friend will go and we shall camp and we shall listen to amazing music. Seriously. That Thursday lineup is killer. And we shall celebrate dancing under giant puppets in the mud two years ago and the way it changed our lives forever.

Today a lot of lives were changed forever. For the better.

In spite of the weighty calendar, it was a pretty damn good Monday.

The wait is over.

Love love love.