Another Year Wiser

There are parts of Austin and my sweet reunion that I have left out of the blog world. Specifically the night he came home on R&R from Iraq in 2005. I was in Houston for my step sister's custody hearing and I knew Austin was supposed to be arriving in Houston that day. Eagerly I called his mom's cell phone around 4, after leaving the courthouse, to find out when she was expecting Austin to arrive. I had to drive back to College Station that night to be at work at 6 am the next morning, but if possible I wanted nothing more than to see him before I left. I was shocked when the phone quit ringing and Austin answered! He said they were on their way from the airport back to his mom's apartment and then would probably figure something out for dinner. I asked if I should meet him there, wait at my mom's house, or go back to College Station and just see him on Friday night for the rodeo as planned. He said he'd love for me to meet him at his mom's house.

DONE! I was on my way.

However, when I got there they had already left for dinner. I knocked on the door and a man I'd never met answered.
"Hi, is Austin here?"
"no, who are you?"
"Um, ******long awkward embarrassed pause***** I'm Amanda. He told me to meet him here. Will he be back soon?"
"Yeah, they left for dinner awhile ago so they should be back soon. You can come in and wait if you want."

Two. Hours. Two hours I sat and waited. Austin's uncle is not the most talkative person and his mind must have been turning over trying to figure out who this random girl sitting next to him was, why she was so dressed up, and what business she had with Austin. I can only imagine what he thought. He didn't say much and I just stared at the TV screen in embarrassment as I watched the hands on the clock tick by. Every time I looked up and saw how much time had passed I thought, "certainly they'll be home any second. no point in leaving now". FINALLY the door opened. My stomach jumped into my throat. Then enters a guy not much older than myself. "Ah, that must be Greg" I thought to myself. Austin must be next! Then enters a man just a few years older than Greg. "Hmm, no idea who that is. Austin must be next" I thought again. Then enters Candace. Then the door closes.

Really?

"Austin had to go get some shoes, he'll be back soon" Greg explained.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! I looked over at the older man, who I still hadn't met, and saw a sly grin on his face as I heard the door open again. In my head I told myself to be cool, nonchalant, and not to let my excitement show in front of all of these strangers who had no idea who I was. My head didn't speak loud enough, though, as I jumped off the couch, ran across the living room and leaped into his arms. After the best hug of my life, I opened my eyes to see that same sly grin on the older man's face. Embarrassed, I slowly made my way back to the ground and walked over to introduce myself.

"Hi, I'm Amanda" I said, extending my hand to shake his.
"I think I already know who you are. I'm herb," he chuckled as he refused my hand shake and leaned in for a hug instead.

And that sly grin never left his face. That was the day I first met Herb 5 years ago, and that sly grin is still there most of the time.

I also think I've left out of blogging that during the 8ish years when Austin and I didn't speak, Candace and I spoke regularly. And every time we spoke, I asked her when she was going to leave her husband. I am not an advocate of divorce under most circumstances, and I genuinely believe that most marriages can be salvaged. There are some instances, though, when I do think divorce may be the only answer. Not because the marriage CAN'T be salvaged, but because both parties aren't willing to do what it would take in order to save it. Candace was in that position. Her husband was not interested in putting in the effort to make the marriage work. I knew a few vantage points on their relationship because I had dated Austin and heard his stories, I was friends with some of Gene's girlfriends so I heard his stories, and Candace told me some of her own. When I saw her in early 2004 and I asked her my regular question, I was thrilled to hear that she had finally decided to cut ties. It was not a healthy relationship for her and I loved her too much to see her held down in such unhappiness.

Then I was even more thrilled when she first told me about Herb. He was fun. He was loving. He was exciting. And most importantly, he was CRAZY about her.

He still is crazy about her. He is crazy about her sons. He's crazy about his daughters. He's crazy about his grandkids, and he's even sort of crazy about his aggie daughter-in-law. He is the kind of person who loves people and would do anything for the people in his life. He has friends everywhere, and I think that says a lot about the kind of person he is: Either everyone loves him or everyone is afraid of him. Or maybe a little of both :)

I have loved seeing Candace being treated how she deserved to be treated all along. I've loved watching Austin develop the kind of fatherly relationship he always deserved. And I've loved having a father in law who I love so much. Happy Birthday Pop - William can't wait to see you next week!