So we’re sitting on the couch last night getting ready to settle in and watch some TV. I hand Matt a bowl of homemade chex mix and a glass of eggnog (yes, I succumbed to the pressure and bought him some at the store on Saturday), and he turns to me and says ‘You know, I’ve been thinking. Even with everything that’s happened to me, I’ve got it pretty good.’ I smiled and asked him what made him think that (besides the obvious answer…eggnog!). He said while yes, the eggnog was nice…it was more of a feeling of contentment with things…the fact that I make him yummy snacks, and buy him his beloved eggnog are just part of it…but I think they all sort of sum up to just being grateful…for all the good things in the life we’ve made together. I can’t tell you how good it makes me feel to hear him say things like that…and how much I really love doing what I can to foster that feeling of contentment. It makes me feel like I am somehow fulfilling my purpose…by working with Matt to make the most of our life together. And it just makes me feel so good to know that despite all that he has stacked against him, he really is a pretty happy guy most of the time. I think we’re both lucky that he’s so easy going and so easily pleased…it just doesn’t take much to make him happy. He’s not demanding. He’s not controlling. He’s not quick to get angry. I love that we can sit together and laugh and joke. I love that he will grab me as I’m walking past and pull me in for a hug. We stood in front of the mirror the other night as I was helping him tuck in his shirt and hugged…I snuck a peek of us out the corner of my eye…me and my tall husband. My head buried in his chest; his head bent down close to mine…the way it used to be. Sometimes it’s weird always being the ‘tall’ one…and I miss being swallowed up in his tallness…it was nice to catch a glimpse of the old us in the mirror. It was reassuring somehow…that through everything we’re still the same Matt & Emily.
That night we were getting ready to go out to dinner with Blake & Amy for Amy’s b-day.
We went up to Ames, to the same place we’ve been to the past few years for her b-day dinner, actually. It’s a great little local place and we always have good food with our good friends. This year was no exception – a great time was had by everyone…aside from a small snafu with the table.
This is always a pet peeve of Matt’s. We go to a restaurant and he thinks it should be obvious that we need a table…a booth won’t work with the wheelchair. And logically speaking, this SHOULD be obvious…however in most places it is not, and we always make sure we specify that we need a table. After waiting for a table to open up the hostess proceeds to take us back to a booth…as we’re approaching and see what she is doing, we stop her and tell her this won’t work….obviously we need a T-A-B-L-E. She seems a bit confused. Matt says to her ‘unless you want to lift me’. She seems even more confused as we shuffle back to the waiting area to wait for a non-booth table to open up. I squeezed Matt’s shoulder…my hey-that’s-enough-squeeze…but then I realized what he had just done…he mouthed off! How wonderful!!! Now, normally I probably wouldn’t be thrilled if my husband puts up a little fuss when we’re at a restaurant…but it’s been a long, long, LONG time since Matt really spoke up like that. And I have to admit, looking back, it was kind of a moment for him. He felt something and he reacted to it vocally to a stranger…he was present in the moment and I guess I can’t blame him for being a little mouthy. It was a very, very Matt thing to do…and every time I see him being more openly himself in front of others...well, it’s just great. (And here's more evidence of Matt and his Mattness!)
That night we were getting ready to go out to dinner with Blake & Amy for Amy’s b-day.
We went up to Ames, to the same place we’ve been to the past few years for her b-day dinner, actually. It’s a great little local place and we always have good food with our good friends. This year was no exception – a great time was had by everyone…aside from a small snafu with the table. 
This is always a pet peeve of Matt’s. We go to a restaurant and he thinks it should be obvious that we need a table…a booth won’t work with the wheelchair. And logically speaking, this SHOULD be obvious…however in most places it is not, and we always make sure we specify that we need a table. After waiting for a table to open up the hostess proceeds to take us back to a booth…as we’re approaching and see what she is doing, we stop her and tell her this won’t work….obviously we need a T-A-B-L-E. She seems a bit confused. Matt says to her ‘unless you want to lift me’. She seems even more confused as we shuffle back to the waiting area to wait for a non-booth table to open up. I squeezed Matt’s shoulder…my hey-that’s-enough-squeeze…but then I realized what he had just done…he mouthed off! How wonderful!!! Now, normally I probably wouldn’t be thrilled if my husband puts up a little fuss when we’re at a restaurant…but it’s been a long, long, LONG time since Matt really spoke up like that. And I have to admit, looking back, it was kind of a moment for him. He felt something and he reacted to it vocally to a stranger…he was present in the moment and I guess I can’t blame him for being a little mouthy. It was a very, very Matt thing to do…and every time I see him being more openly himself in front of others...well, it’s just great. (And here's more evidence of Matt and his Mattness!)
Comments