My Better Half

April Fools
April 1,1995

19 + years ago I met Kevin McKee at my friend, Deb's condo.   Right from the moment I met him, I knew there was something about him.

As a young, single teacher in her late 20's I had recommitted myself to Christ and was hanging around in Christian circles. I "fit", but my real self was so fearful that I would have to forfeit my very liberal views of the world to find a man who loved me, Jesus, and beer.   How could I find this man without selling out on one of these things?  Did I believe in soul mates?  I don't know.  Not really.

When I first met Kevin at Deb's condo in November 1993, he sang off key and had a chipped tooth that made him whistle when had talked; but there was something about him that made me relax.  "There is something about Kevin McKee" I told my girlfriends.

I can't remember who called who first, but the next thing I knew I was invited several times to go to his birthday party at Longboards on the wharf.  The next was being invited to go skiing on a trip Kevin was organizing in Mammoth over the Martin Luther King holiday. Soon after, I found out that trip had been planned with the soul purpose of my going.  It is lucky that I went even though skiing really doesn't float my boat all that much.

In the interim, we did have a few encounters.  The first I can really recall was coming in very late on New Years Eve from a Young Life camp I had been working at over the winter break to a party at Tammy and Lisa's apartment.  He came!  He showed even though he didn't even know those ladies at the time.  Wow!  I am pretty sure that was the night Laura flashed around her new engagement ring from Craig.  I don't know why I remember that.  But, well... I do.

Our first official "date" was soon after.  I paid for it.  That New Years Eve a deal was made that Kevin would help me move my couch the next morning into the new house I was renting with Tricia on Cuna Dr.  In exchange, I bought him dinner.

So, fast forward a few weeks to the day the earth shook, literally, in Northridge.  We woke up in Mammoth to hear on the news that the quake had happened.  Now, very conveniently I had ended up being the solo passenger in Kevin's truck that was loaded up with all the supplies for the trip.  When we stopped in Mojave to eat and reconnect with the other cars in our caravan (this was before cell phones), the plan was to take the 126 to Santa Barbara.  Kevin and I made it through the roadblock there somehow, but the other cars loaded with people weren't so lucky.  They had to drive the I-5 all the way up to Bakersfield and cut across at Santa Maria!  So, Kevin and I did what any young frisky late 20's, early 30's people would do... We made out on the couch until they all got there.  That sealed the deal.  He was a good kisser.  He loved Jesus.  He loved beer even more than I did at the time.  He also didn't seem phased in the slightest when I told him honestly during those miles up and back from Mammoth who I really am.

Fast forward to April 1, 1995 and you get two very horny (Yes, we did wait until our honeymoon!) people who had a BLAST at their own wedding. We are no fools and it was no joke.

After we were married, I would often have a recurring dream that I was walking down the aisle of my own wedding so fearful knowing I was marrying the wrong person who didn't approve of or didn't even know who I really am. Then, I would wake up in the middle of the aisle and realize I didn't have to marry that man because, Thank God, I was already married to Kevin.

Do I believe in soul mates now?  Maybe.  If I did, mine would be Kevin.  Do I believe God has a plan for my life and Kevin is a true gift from God?  YES!  I got the better half of this deal for sure.

Great!

Last night Kevin and I went to see Seinfeld at the Arlington.  It had been a long week of conferences added to the adjustment of Day Light Savings kicking me in the butt.  But, at 5:30 I was dressed and "ready" to go so we would have time for something to eat before the 7 PM start.  Abbey was all taken care of by the Peterson Family.  I had my bases covered.  Kevin not so much.  Well, of course, Jack's  swim meet out at DPHS didn't end until close to 6 PM.  The boys had to not only drive back to civilization but also had the task and time of stopping to get Jack something to eat for dinner.  Blah blah blah.... We found ourselves getting there just as the warm up chickpoo was finishing up her deal.  She wasn't all that good so I wasn't all that bummed for being almost a half hour late.  The nachos and beer that we stopped for on the way were more important in my book.  I don't do well with no food in the system.

To make a really long story short, Jerry's routine was priceless for where we are in our life as a couple.  He started off with talking about being "ready" and all the fun and hassle of just getting there.... so us!  He hit it right on with the being "ready" at the same time to the need to eat and where to park.  I gave up wearing any form of high heels long ago in our relationship partly due to the "where to park " problem.

He also did a little part about hydration that just for some reason hit my funny bone right on.  I spend half my life feeling so thirsty to feeling bloated from too much water all at once.  His little bit about there never being any scotch tape in the house got me too. Probably the best part was his description of how things suck and are great at the same time.  This is my life.  It sucks and is great all in one breath.  Seinfeld's whole thing was just perfectly timed in every way.  So.... glad we went!

Later Came Today

Ok.  I live under a rock and lately in a perm-a school bubble.  I knew I needed to downgrade my registration from the Full SLO Marathon to the Half SLO Marathon so I could run with my good pal, JoDee on April 7.  It was her race and we were going to do it more to catch up than to run a race.  I was more than happy to NOT train to run a marathon when she changed her mind a few weeks ago.  Anyway, when I first went to change from the full to the half  they were going to charge me $10 just to downgrade!  I wrote an email and never got a reply then put it in my back pocket to deal with later.  Well, later came today...

I had just finished my last report card this morning when I thought.... Today is the day!  I sat down and logged on only to be greeted by this:

It might be a little hard to see.  Basically it says that sure... you can downgrade to the half, but you have to do it before March 1st.

Soooooooo.... I have an email in progress and I wrote on their SLO Face Book page, but they are SLO in responding.  I guess I am going to have to go for a 20 miler with some at tempo tomorrow instead of the easy 13 I had planned... Just in case.  Yuck!

Later caught me this time.  I still have hope they will let me downgrade without charging me an arm and a leg. I'll just do the damn full if they do. Besides, it would be hard to run even a half marathon without an arm and a leg. I am also cheap.   If I am running a marathon then I am running a marathon.  Gosh that sounds like a long way to run right now.