Five Year Referral

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


This is always a fun day for us. A little Erin Go Bragh, a few memories, and hopefully some beer later on (just one for me thanks).


Five Years ago on this day I got a very important call. It was Ev's referral call. I had worked all night and came home early because I suspected that the callers would think the AK stood for Arkansas. See, they start calls on the East Coast and work their way west, and I was in Alaska. I was right my call came at 8:30 am.


I remember that Les had borrowed a cell phone so I could call him at work and he was threatened with his life if he didn't when I called. He didn't ( and thus a long tradition of him not answering his phone at big moments began).
 I remember frantically scribbling down these little tidbits of information about her as my heart pounded and my hands shook.
I remember thinking that my life had just changed.
I remember the chills that ran up and down my back as I heard Fu Mei meant Lucky Plum... months before I had a dream of a  Chinese girl smiling at me and eating a plum.
I remember seeing her face for the first time and falling head over heels in love with her.
I remember the look on Leslie's face as he sat down in a chair, took her photo out of my hands and just looked at her for the longest time.
I remember the way my heart felt. Full and alive and aching.


I knew that I loved her. I bonded with her picture right away. I didn't expect to, as each Mama's reaction can vary. I thought that I would not have strong emotions for her until I held her or even until I had some sort of daily care and interactions with her. I can tell you that I was wrong. Love for Ev sprung into my heart as soon as I heard her name, as soon as I looked at her picture. It was there, like a click, a spring sipping into place, a dark corner finally being lit by sunlight.

I can say that looking back, I know what I felt was just that first rush. My love for her has deepened and grown and entwined itself into every part of me. I KNOW her now. I can see the kind of little person she is and I can say that she in one cool chic and I am honored to share my life with her. I am glad that she is here, selfishly, greedily jubilant- that she is mine.