This is how you know your farmer feller loves you, he takes time away from deer hunting to stop and carve your initals into a tree before you are married.
When we were at the farm a few weekends ago, we were on the right hand ridge, and I made Brian stop and let me take a picture of the tree where he had carved our initials back when we had started dating. It’s still there and getting more and more defined with time, kind of like we are. The kids (especially our two girls) get a real kick out of hearing about how their Daddy carved our initials into a tree when we were dating. I have always loved being able to tease him about my very own Redneck Graffiti.
But, what he doesn’t know, is that I know where he keeps every silly note I wrote him when we were dating. He has this old little cedar chest that he keeps on his chest of drawers. The kind you get when you are a kid to keep trinkets in. It still has a few photos of his family, one of girls that I don’t know who they are, his first cousins wedding photo (we just lost her to cancer last October), and just about every silly note/card/ticket that I wrote on when we were dating. I found them after we had been married 10 years or so. (I guess after he reads this he will know I am in on his secret romantic side.)
You see, we are building a house now on his family farm. I am very excited, but there are tons of decisions and not enough time in the day. Between that, softball, T-ball, and the oldest daughters dance schedule my blogging has suffered.
Also, the house building has worn on both of us. We normally get along great, never fight. today, I reread some of those hidden letters. Seemed I spent all my time in college whining about class and wanting to spent time with Brian. Now, I seem to spend all my time whining at him about the cost of sub-flooring or where he had to move a toilet.
So, I thought that I would take the time to put it out for all to see that he still is my best friend in the whole wide world and he has made me a better person. Without his love and understanding, I may have had more professionally, but I would have never LIVED the way I have been blessed by being a McLerran.
So, to all the wives and girlfriends of farmers out there… when they make you really mad, you know like forgetting Mother’s day/birthday/ballgames/etc. Please remember the little things that made you fall in love with them in the first place.
In my case, its things like never having to change my oil, check my tire pressure, and knowing that there is a hidden box of old love letters kept just because they are important to him, and a tree with redneck graffiti just for me.
