As the days in our home dwindled, our nights became shorter. We stayed up later and later in order to accomplish everything that still had to be done. We felt overwhelmed by the amount of stuff still in the house. Sleep deprivation and stress do not make for a happy marriage. We were easily frustrated and quick to snap at each other. I (Cy) always work best with music playing. When one of my favorite slow songs played, Harvest Moon by the Mavericks, I asked Bill for his help in the kitchen. He left his packing in our bedroom and joined me in the kitchen. Since I didn’t want our final memories in our house to be of grumpiness and stress, I asked him to dance with me. One final slow dance in the kitchen. Just remembering that moment makes me teary. Our dance was the only time I cried about leaving our home. We had so many memories there. In 1998, when we moved to the house from Texas, the kids were just 8, 6, 3, and 1. That night as we held each other in the kitchen, I could hear their little voices and see their little faces. I saw little Kooper turning on the tap in the master bathroom and not being able to shut off the water so he filled the sink with towels to catch the water, inadvertently flooding the bathroom. I saw little Kaidyn shakily writing her name on the bricks above the fireplace, one letter per brick, and proudly showing me her efforts. I saw little Karson doing his best Steve Irwin imitation while removing a snake he found in the back yard. I saw little Kolton sitting on the kitchen floor practicing paradiddles on his new drum pad. I saw countless events marking the years: weekly Bible study with our Northside small group, birthday celebrations with friends, Adornaments on Christmas morning, making countless cookies together at the kitchen island, reading books aloud in the living room, and completing our homeschool work at the kitchen table. Through all of those years, it’s always been Bill and me, together. Even though our marriage has had its ups and downs, our faith in Jesus has knit us together and helped us weather the storms. I am so grateful God has blessed me with Bill. No matter where we are, home is in his arms. Dancing in the kitchen that midnight hour confirmed that. Even if we don’t have a house, we have a home, with each other.
Lesson Learned:Â In the midst of stress, savor a sweet moment.
