NOW What I think of it all

You know.  There is NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING more painful than to watch your child hurt.

NOTHING.

I get ugly and confrontational and want to tear things up, and punch throats and fix stuff when my kids have a problem.  It's just the militant mama bear in me.

So, you can only imagine how out of control I have felt about Lacey.

Laynie and the beauty and pain in all of that.  Then the ultimate end of her marriage.  Watching her courageously move on, cautiously working her way through the pain and wonderment of the loss that she had so hugely suffered.

When her ridiculous sister, Kip, finally hounded her enough to quit being a cat lady and step out on faith, I was more than pleased.  She had successfully managed to work herself through grad school and come out of that top of her class.  She got her thesis published, she had every single duck in a row.

All but, the "I love you til death do us part" thing.

I wanted that the most for her that I have ever wanted anything in my life.

So, when I got a text from my niece saying she had Lacey a husband, I thought,  "Sure".

And when the second text from her said that in thanks for sending him to us, she required a "shout out at the wedding", I was very intrigued.

My usually calm and collected about everything in life daughter was a maniac that first date day.  I had to talk her off the ledge at least 3 times.  It was AWESOME.

(Unfortunately, I think she has some of my socially awkward dating genes, but it worked out for her, so praiseallejuah).

Anyhow, the first date.  My phone rang, and my ears were bleeding in about 2.5 seconds.  I have never heard this girl so lit up about anything.

Made my heart just zing out of my chest.

"I want to meet him".

Silence.  More Silence.

"Lacey, I want to meet this hunka hunka burning love".    "Mom, that's maybe why i DON"T want you to meet him".

Fast forward to Saturday at Lacey's house.  (2 days later).  I'm there with the lovelies and he shows up.  It's like I have known him all my life.  Lacey is needing to leave to go to a pre-booked concert with friends, and I have just had about 2 hours with this new hunk, and I wasn't ready to let him go.  I invite him to church with the kids and me.. no Lacey.   Most guys would come up with a million excuses on where and why they have to be somewhere else, but not Tyler.

"You Bet".    SAY WHAT?   Off he goes to OKC campus with us, and continues to hang with us AFTER church and go eat with us.  By this time, I am lock, stock and barrel sold into him.  I watch him with the kids and with Hallie and he is just so natural and funny and LOUD and fits right in.

He came to Hallie's beach volleyball tournament with Lacey and actually CARRIED my cooler for me (What? I don't haul 14,000 things by myself?) and he has a fan for life.  He was actually LOUDER than me yelling for Hallie, and for that I am eternally grateful.

The day all the "engaging" went down, I got a text from a number (Lacey hadn't given me his number, didn't have any faith in me to not run him off....what is that??) that asked me Hallie's number.  I gave it out without thinking, and then said, "Wait, who is this?"  to which a text replied, "It's a crazy stalker that has been taking pics of your daughter and wants to cyber stalk her"...followed with,   "IT's Tyler, you dork". 

Went on to send me this picture. 

And ask me permission to enter "Phase two" of his plan.  How thrilled he was to have the bonus of us as his family.

Whatever.  We are the lucky ones.

Tyler, welcome to our family.  We love having you and are so thrilled you are a member forever.  You're a goofball, you love Jesus so much, and you love my daughter, and that's all I will ever want from you.

Except for the occasional toilet fixes and garage door tweaks.  You're a keeper, Tyler.  We are blessed.

P.S.  Good job, Linds.  You have mad matchmaking skills.