Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Today Would of Been Woody's Birthday

Hello my friends, I am writing my blog early today as Terry will be visiting and we are going to a movie tonight, by the time we chat it will be too late to blog.

It is already sunny and warm so I know we are going to have a beautiful day and I am really looking forward to it.

As you all know I am a widow but today would of been my husband's birthday. Oh how I miss him, he use to tease me as his birthday fell 3 weeks after mine. He always reminded me I was older than he was. We met in Grade 10 and were only 15 years old. He was in the same home room as my best friend and when we first met I didn't think anything special about him except I thought he was cute, but he told my friend he had just met the girl he was going to marry. My best friend and I rolled on the snow banks laughing all the way home from school because of this guy saying he was going to marry me. Well guess who got the last laugh, and if you had known him you would realize he often got the last laugh. He was so handsome but then I feel we all think our husbands' are handsome, but mine really was. LOL. He was 6'1" and I am 5'2" so I'm sure we looked like Mutt and Jeff, but the height difference didn't bother either of us. We grew up together, learned together and loved together. He could fix or build anything and it's only now I realize I took all the wonderful things he did for granted. If anything happened I knew Woody would make it all right and he did. He was a wonderful husband and father. I was so blessed to be his wife and am so thankful that when he passed at only 42 we had been together 27 and 1/2 of those years. I was devastated when Woody died, it was hard for me even to breathe and at times I didn't even want too. I have since realized it was his death that taught me how to live and his love carried me on to become a better person than I ever thought I could be. Oh yes losing Woody was one of the darkest times of my life but now, looking back I am just so proud and happy thinking of all those wonderful years and the beautiful times we had together. Woody took care of me in life and continues to do so since his death. Yes, things could of maybe even should of been different but they are what they are. Times have changed, I have changed but I like to think that Woody would still love the person I have become. And like Garth Brooks says, I could of missed the pain but I would of had to missed the dance. I'm glad we danced together Woody, until we meet again, Happy Birthday.

Okay now I am off to shower and go to Curves before Terry arrives. Have a great day my friends and as always......God Bless.......:-) Hugs

30 comments:

Brenda said...

Dear Bernie,

Yes, I wanted to cry as I read your story--such a huge loss! There is no recovery. Yet I agree and say, "Amen" to what you have written.

My first husband died at age 39 years of age. We were together 16 and 3/4 years. I wonder sometimes how different life would be if he had lived. He was a very good man as was your Woody.

What a sweet love story you have to tell.

Blessings on you!

Wanda..... said...

Oh Bernie...that was just beautiful...My heart goes out to you...I am so glad Terry will be with you today and I know Woody would certainly love you for the person you have become...I'm glad you have such loving memories of him...He must have been a special man...I especialy relate to how you met...I met Herhusband in high school study hall...I was 15 and he17...I'm happy that you had a wonderful husband that left you with a feeling of his presence and protection even after his passing...
Take care Bernie

Eileen said...

I am sure your Woody loves you today just as he obviously did from the moment he laid eyes on you. You are who you are partly because of how his life intertwined with yours. I'm sure he's proud of the way you've carried on.

I smiled when you said you didn't think all that much about him when you first met because that's exactly what I felt about Ray too. And Ray said to me the same thing that your Woody said, that he knew from the minute he laid eyes on me he knew we were going to be married (and he had another girlfriend at the time!), we weren't quite as young as you, I was 16 and Ray was 17 when we first met, but it took us a few months before we started seeing each other.

I'm so glad you were Blessed with Woody in your life, and I'm sure he's still with you, Bernie. Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful love story.

Tranquility Speaks said...

A very Happy Birthday to your husband, where ever he is. And trust you me, where ever he is, today of all days he wants to tell you that he loves you very much and wants you to be safe, healthy and happy :)

I don't know how I am so sure of it Bernie, but this isn't the end. The two of you will meet again. Love never ends. Trust the lord and be optimistic about this. Today of all the days, be as happy as you can be. He is watching over you and wants to see you smile :) Loads of love :)

Bernie said...

Brenda, I am sorry you lost your first husband my friend and with small children, it had to have been so very hard for all of you. You are right one never gets closure but there does come acceptance which I am thankful for. I would marry him all over again even knowing the ending. Thank you for caring.....:-) Hugs

Bernie said...

Oh Wanda, no matter how long it's been I still have tears on these "down memory lane" days. I still feel I was the luckiest woman in the world, love never dies Wanda and I am blessed with beautiful memories. I'm not sure Terry's remembers its Woody's birthday but she will know something as soon as she sees my face. She can read me like a book. It is wonderful that she is coming in today and that we are going out tonight. Thank you my friend for your kind words, and I am smiling through my tears Wanda, that is what he would want me to be doing. Luv you for caring...Hugs

Bernie said...

Eileen, I'm sure you are right, sometimes I think a young, pure love last forever. Everyone I know personally that met and married young are still together so there has to be something that brought them together....like destiny. I was and still am blessed in so many ways...Thank you my friend for caring and may you and Ray continue to build memories....Hugs

Anonymous said...

Bernie....It sounds like you married your best friend...and the times you had together will always be with you. Thank you for a beautiful love story tribute on Woody's birthday.
I have to tell you, though, that read it with my mouth agape at points. You're not going to believe this!! Do bloggers meet by accident??? I don't think so. When my 'to be' husband and I met, we were around 15...just friends...and I didn't really even look at him twice... meeting at my cousin's house to play...It was my cousin, my cousin's friend (Jack) my sister and me all playing, riding go carts, etc. His friend (Jack) went home and told his parents he had just met the girl he was going to marry! When you posted that about Woody, I drew in my breath. Amazing!!! We met again much later in junior college...dated for 4 years...and I will have been married to him for 37 years in August. I'm 5'2...just like you. I'm just feeling special bonds with my blogging friends...being a new blogger only a couple of weeks now....but I don't think meeting you was an accident at all. I'm thankful for you....for your love for Woody...and for the life that you have now. Continue to smell the roses as you go......and smile! You bring smiles to me.
jackie

Blessings each day said...

Oh Bernie, now I have tears. Yes, these special times are difficult, but I, too, would doit all over againwith my Mario. When we met I was 16 going on 17 yrs. old and he was so old to me because he was 22 going on 23 yrs. old. He was home on leave from the Army and said that he fell in love with me just watching me walk my dog each day (that scared me into worrying if he saw Spot do his business!) We were blessed with more years than you and I do count this a HUGE blessing!!! But, oh, how I wanted to rock my rocking chair beside his!!

I am so, so happy that you are spending this day with a wonderful friend...these things make me wonder if they aren't special gifts that God allows our loved ones to send to us?!!

I really enjoyed your love story!

Woody would have only be more madly in love with you and pleased with who you have become!

blessings with tons of hugs,

marcy

Marian Dean said...

What a lovely tribute to your dear husband Woody. You were widowed so young then at 42, I thought I had been young at 48 to be widowed, but as you say you look back at the wonderful years together. Michael's last words to me were, "Be Happy". so I know he wanted me to marry again if the right person came along. I still feel Michael is around me, often in my dreams too. I had met him at 15 and married at 17, I am so glad we had all the young years together, and our children then too, 5 in all. I still question why he had to die so early, but God has His own mysterious way, and we won't know till we are all together again.
Love to you Bernie, I hope your time with Terry is wonderful.
Love Granny

Annette said...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts of your husband. Your love story touched me and opened my eyes.

Rebecca said...

It was good to meet your Woodie. As the others said, he would love the changes in you. Your cheerful personality and compassionate heart shine in all you do and say. My husband and I went to see The Proposal this afternoon. We both liked it. I'm blessed to have a man who is not ashamed to be seen at a "chick flick" as they call 'em! I first heard about the movie from you and wonder if you saw it the second time today????

Diana said...

Oh Bernie that was a beautiful love story. You made me appreciate and love my husband more after reading your story of your lives together. I am so very sorry that you lost him so young, but am so glad that you had those wonderful years together! I think when you love someone so much, you can never be together long enough.
Have fun with Terry,enjoy the show!

Teresa said...

Oh Bernie, you have so much loss and hurt in your past, and you seem so strong. I don't know what makes the difference, but I so wish I could be as happy as you in spite of everything. I know you must have sad days too, but you seem to see the good in everything. You are so blessed. I try, and for the most part I see the blessings, but sometimes, I give in to the pain of the past, it is not intentional, it just happens and I can not hold back the tears.

I think you must have days like that too, and I am beginning to think it is ok, as long as we don't wallow in it. You are an inspiratation. ((((hugs)))) T

Bernie said...

Hi Stillness, thank you for your beautiful words, you are a wonderful young girl filled with love and compassion and I am proud you are my friend. I do hope the tooth is better....:-) Hugs

Bernie said...

Jackie, we really do have a lot in common, I wish you and your husband many more happy years together. I am so glad you started blogging Jackie, it's nice to share our days, moods, ups and downs together.....:-) Hugs

Bernie said...

Marcy, I know how you feel and think it's wonderful that have kept Mario's love in your heart... your heart is so big Marcy you allowed Michael in as well...now that is special. Thank you my friend....:-) Hugs

Bernie said...

Granny, thank you so much. I love it when I hear that widows find love again, I almost did (a few times) but I wasn't as strong as those who do, to frightened of that pain again. Perhaps I was wrong but I do have a good life and it's full with family, friends and my volunteer work. I am happy Granny and I have accepted my fate and I have so many blessings of which I am thankful. I have a strong faith which tells me we will be together again, all of us as my son is also with his Dad.
I did have a nice day with Terry, we went to dinner and a movie.
.....Hugs to you my friend

Bernie said...

Oh Annette, it is I who thank you. I am so happy that you and your husband have each other and are still making memories. When you are older memories are very comforting and I am blessed in so many ways........:-) Hugs

Bernie said...

Hi Rebecca, so glad you saw the movie and yes I saw it again. I'm glad you liked it, wasn't the scenery beautiful.
Thank you for your kind words Rebecca and I was glad to introduce Woody to you, he was pretty special and would take me to chick flicks as well but then I did Star Wars, Clint Eastwood and any war movies for him, but I like them too......:-) Hugs

Bernie said...

Hi Diana, how did you make out at the doctor's today....am anxious to hear....I am so happy my post reminded you how much you love your husband....love it! When we love with a pure heart... time is never long enough be it 2 or 200 years. All is well tonight and yes I even enjoyed the movie as much as I did the first time...:-) Hugs

Bernie said...

Terri. oh sweetie just because we handle things differently doesn't make me right and you wrong. No, no Terri we all are special in God's eyes and we all have gifts to offer this world. (I still haven't figured mine out) Most days I am strong Terri but I have sad days too, I know when they are coming and try very hard to make plans for that day so I won't spend them grieving. I give myself permission to have a cry but then I am able to do something nice for myself or someone else. This brings me much joy. You are a beautiful woman Terri who cares deeply for your family, let the past go and accept all that has happened. When I finally got to the place of letting go, accepting what I had no control over I found a real sense of peace. My life is not perfect for sure, but it is mine and I choose to be happy. I wish that for you my friend.....:-) Hugs

Donna's Book Nook said...

I, too, lost my first husband, John, at 55 y/o. He sounds a lot like your Woody in many ways.

You've had a great loss; it sounds like you also have lots of wonderful memories.

You are to be commended for the way you continue to move on and embrace life. Blessings on you. Donna

The Retired One said...

Ahhhh, Bernie...what a wonderful tribute to Woody. He sounds like a wonderful man, and that you had a great marriage.
I am sure you were the treasure in his life.
You were lucky to have found your true love early in life and to have had each other those years.
I am lucky too..my husband is a wonderful man. We are going on 37 years this August.

Bernie said...

Donna, thank you for your kind words and I am sorry for your loss. It sounds as if you have found love again, I am very happy for you........:-) Hugs

Bernie said...

Joan, oh yeah he was the love of my life and I was loved by a wonderful man. I am so glad that you have had all these wonderful years with your husband and I am wishing you many, many more.
Have a great day......:-) Hugs

Valerie said...

I haven't lost a husband but can imagine it would be a great loss. Your life together sounds as if it was an idyllic, lifetime romance. Even now.

Barb said...

Hi Bernie,
Just a note - I haven't dropped off the face of the Earth, but my best girlfriend is here from AZ, so I've spent very little time on the computer. I'm glad your good friend is also visiting you. Your reminiscence about Woody is very similar to my situation. My husband and I were high school sweethearts - started dating in 10th grade and married 7 years later when I graduated from college. He's been my very best friend for 50 years now - married for nearly 43 of them. Woody sounds like a wonderful man. He would be proud of you, Bernie!

Bernie said...

Valerie, thank you, he was pretty special and God willing you will have a many more years with yours. I will be over to visit.
.......:-) Hugs

Bernie said...

Thanks Barb, our stories are similar and I am sure had Woody lived we would be living a life similar to yours. Enjoy your wonderful husband my friend and keep living each day to the fullest as you do.....:-) Hugs