Spring Fling

We at the Hotel Thompson have been advised that Madi at http://downhomeinnc.blogspot.com/ is hosting a Spring Fling today, March 20, 2014.  It’s all about love in the air today on this first day of Spring.  I got with mom and dad and asked them to tell me the story again about them.  It’s one of my favorite bedtime stories that mom tells me at night when she tucks me into bed.

It all started back in 1988.  Mom went for an interview at a local company to work for all things an answering service – can you believe that?!  There she met this wonderful office manager who hired her on the spot.  Mom started work as a telephone operator and within a few short months, she moved up to the billing department.

Mom became close friends with the office manager.  Who knew that from the beginning of their meeting, the office manager had plans for my mom.  The office manager set her son up (my daddy) with mommy.  They went on their first date September 14, 1988 (which happened to be the day before the office manager’s birthday – cool huh?).

That first date started it all for my mommy and daddy.  And here’s the kicker.  They dated for 16 years before getting married.  Can you believe that?  At times, mom was ready to get married but dad wasn’t.  Then there were times that dad was ready to get married but mom wasn’t.  Then there were times that neither wanted to get married – snorts.

But finally on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2004, dad popped the question to mom.  Mom’s answer was priceless, “What’s the rush?!  Give me another 16 years and I’ll give you the answer.”  Yep, that’s my mommy.  She did accept though.

Then, things turned a really rough curve.  Dad was involved in a car accident in March 2004.  He ended up in ICU at the hospital for almost three months.  It was a most horrible time for mom and dad.  Thankfully, mom knew dads doctors and they allowed mommy to be with daddy a lot during these times.  Daddy almost died three times during these long three months.  But in the end, he turned and started to get better.

So during the last week of his time in ICU when he was feeling better, mom got with the family doctor that was involved in dad’s care.  The doctor and staff at the hospital watched as mommy did the most amazing thing.  She got on her knee in daddy’s room and proposed to daddy – aaww.  She said that she didn’t want to wait any longer, she wanted to marry my daddy as soon as she could.  He accepted.

He came out of the hospital the beginning of July 2004.  This is when he actually moved in with mommy.  His house had too many steps and he needed care.  Mommy took care of him, got him through rehabilitation and doctor’s appointments.  And in the middle of all of this, they put together their wedding.  And it was easy setting a date.  Over the years, daddy’s mom had passed away.  Remember her birthday was September 15, the day before mom and dad’s first date.  So it was set.  September 15, 2004.

Mom got a beautiful dress.  Dad got a handsome tux.  Invitations were sent out to sixty of their closest friends.  Daddy’s dad, an ordained minister, performed the wedding.  And when they were married, they had been dating 16 years.  This year, September 14, 2014 will marked their 10th wedding anniversary or what they like to say – 26 years together.