Funny Guy Friday... Road trips on the Bridge...

     Funny Guy Friday is written each week by my husband Mark. So, I married a funny guy...
     About five years ago, Cheryl and I decided that skiing was going to be our "family thing." At the end of every year, we like to take a couple of days the week after Christmas to hit the slopes. I remember the first time we went skiing, I was exhausted after the first twenty minutes.
     First, I had to carry all the skis up onto the mountain... and then I had to get Matthew's boots on with his bindings good and tight. Once Matthew was all set, I had to get Grace's boots on and her bindings good and tight. And then, and only then, did I have the pleasure to get Cheryl's boots on and her "laces" good and tight (she calls them laces, and I don't have the heart to tell her they are not laces... she is so darn cute).
     As the kids have gotten older, and Noah has joined the fun, my duties have changed a bit. I still have to get the skis up onto the mountain before getting Noah's boots on and his bindings good and tight. Then I get Matthew's boots on with his bindings good and tight. Then I get Grace's boots on with her bindings good and tight. And then, and only then, do I get the pleasure of dealing with Cheryl's laces.
     I liken it to a promotion with additional responsibilities... but no pay raise.
     It can be ten degrees outside and I am sweating before I ever get my skis on.
     Speaking of the weather, when I was a kid, I would ski in a pair of jeans, a wool cap, a pair of wool mittens, a wind breaker, and because it was cold... two pair of white socks.
     At the end of the day, my pants were so frozen that they could stand by themselves. Of course, they were the only pants that I bothered to bring with me, so I had to enjoy the icy cold for the three hour ride home.
     What was my mother thinking? I thought she loved me. Maybe not!
     I have struggled all my life with women who say they love me but in reality... do not!
     I digress...
     My kids wear ski masks, ski gloves, ski pants, ski jackets, ski goggles, scarves and helmets. In addition, they use hand warmers and foot warmers. They look like skiing ninjas! Cheryl has so much gear from head to toe that you can't even tell whether she is male or female.
     But all of that is not enough for my girl, Cheryl. She wants hand warmers shaped like a mittens so she can slide her hands into the hand warmers and then slide them into her real mittens. She also is not above using a stray hand warmer as a bun warmer... if you know what I mean!
     This year, since Gracie was in Houston, it was just Cheryl and the boys. Although Matthew and I could have spun off and done some more difficult runs, we decided to all stick together. This was a good decision because we had a great time.
     Our first day was spent skiing in the rain. The good news was that we were the only ones on the mountain, so we got in as many runs as we liked. The bad news was... WE WERE SKIING IN THE RAIN!!!
     We only lasted about six or seven runs.
     Day two was better weather, so we spent the day on the mountain before heading home.
     As much fun as we had skiing, we had just as much fun on the drive home.
     The boys drew pictures and occasionally commented on our songs while Cheryl and I listened to the radio. Sirius XM has a station called The Bridge. I think they call it The Bridge because they play so many sad sappy love songs that after listening for thirty minutes you feel like you want to want to jump off a bridge.
     If The Bridge had a Mount Rushmore, it would include James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Elton John and Billy Joel. But add Jim Croce, Carole King, and Rod Stewart to the mix and you're beginning to get the picture. Oh, and don't forget Bread and America... perhaps the two saddest bands in the history of music.
     Of course, Cheryl loves The Bridge.
     I hate The Bridge.
     Not because I hate the Rushmore singers, in fact, I like them all. I just hate them on The Bridge. For God's sake, could they ever play one upbeat song? Ever? Just one!
     I will say that each song I heard brought back a memory. A bad memory, but a memory just the same.
     For instance, I am going to let everyone in on a little known secret. Back in high school, I played my sister's Bread album whenever I could convince a girl I liked to come over to my parent's house. I chuckle at the notion that playing Lost Without Your Love and Baby I'm a Want You would ever land me a second date.
     Or, did you know that I know every Cat Stevens song on the album Tea for the Tillerman. 
     My brother had that album, and I had to listen to it for hours at a time. Hours and hours! By the way, I think I found my Hard Headed Woman... Headed Woman!
     Cheryl's musical memories were all good, of course: a song her mom sang back in the day... or a reminder of beach week with her friends... or driving through the Hollywood hills... teen club... or last but not least... the infamous dances at the Knights of Columbus. Lots of these songs reminded her of dances at the Knights of Columbus.  
     I went to those dances and don't recall Janis Ian's Seventeen ever being a big show stopper.  Of course, I don't recall Cheryl being at those dances either. Perhaps had I paid a little more attention, I wouldn't have been stuck trying to impress chicks with Bread songs.
     Once the boys grew tired of drawing, they joined in our musical trip down memory lane. At one point, Matthew asked with surprise, How do you know the words to this song? 
     Cheryl and I both blurted out, We lived in the 70s! 
     Not you guys. Noah. He is singing along! 
     I have no idea how Noah could have known the words to these songs, but I am pretty sure he was not at the Knights of Columbus dances.
     We laughed, we sang, and we remembered old times the whole ride home.
     Our ski trip was a great way to end what has been a great year.
     We are thankful for the many blessings that God has given us and for the courage and the grace He gives us to handle whatever troubles may come our way. I wouldn't change a thing.
     I have three great kids and a wife that I love more than anyone could imagine. And the beautiful thing is... I know she feels the exact same way about me.
     How can I be so sure?
     Well, it turns out, I found her diary underneath a tree and started reading about me. The words she'd written took me by surprise, you'd never read them in her eyes. She said that she had found the love she'd waited for. When confronted with her writing there, she simply pretended not to care. I passed it off as just in keeping with her total disconcerting air.
     What can I say? She loves me! As long as I've got that going for me, I can go confidently into 2014 with a girl that thinks the world of me. Perhaps I should stop being so insecure about the women in my life.
     I wish you and your family a very happy new year!