Who's That Man
Back in '84 we moved from Kansas City to Iuka, my home town. Sammy/Rusty was just starting up his consulting business. Actually, when we moved here he (we) had 5 radio station (you know a little food on the table). We knew being a consultant would be quite a bit of travel, so he wanted for the kids and me to be close to family. Even better than that we lived just right down the street from my parents and where I grew up (HOME SWEET HOME).
It took a little getting use to him being gone 4-5 days out of the week. We had Nikki (4 yrs old) and Beth (2 yrs. old) and when he would leave, of course they would cry and hang on him, so it made leaving a little rough at times.
In '85 Jay comes along and after a year or so, then we had three crying after him and sometimes four... me. Sammy/ Rusty always from day one called us every night to see how our day went and tell us he loved us. One by one he would talk to each one of us. When Jay was around 3 yrs old, Sammy had a daddy to son talk with Jay.
Sammy: When I'm out of town you can be the man of the house.
Jay: I get to sleep on your side of the bed.
Sammy: yep!!
Jay didn't really like sleeping in his bed, some nights he would crawl in the bed with Beth, so he was happy about this. I gotta tell ya there were some mornings I would wake up not knowing which room I was in and sometimes all three would be in the bed with me. Up and down all night. Jay got used to sleeping on his daddy's side of the bed and it became a problem when Sammy would come home. He wanted to sleep with us and Sammy wouldn't have it. So Jay and I had a little secret Sammy NEVER knew about. Remember those little mats kindergarteners would use for nap time at school? Well, we had one and we hide it under MY side of the bed. If Jay had trouble sleeping he would come in and tap me on the shoulder and pull his mat out. I had a small pillow and blanket under there too. Then we would hold hands till his would drop off to sleep. I get up a few minutes early and move Jay back to his bed and shove all that bedding under the bed.
One Friday night I knew Sammy was coming home in the wee morning hours so I laid down in Jay's bed so he would sleep in there. Now there was a short time when Sammy grew a short beard and the kids sotta got use to him having one and on this particular night he decided to shave it off before coming home. Well Jay wakes up sometime after Sammy came home and he comes in the bedroom and wakes me up saying, MAMA WHO IS THAT MAN IN THE BED WITH YOU? My eyes immedently flew open and I looked to my left. Sammy was wide awake and shaking. He was so tickle! I was dead asleep when he came home and didn't even know he had crawled in the bed with me. Now I'm pretty much a light sleeper when he is on the road but if I know he is coming home.... I'm OUT!
As the kids got older it got better... then.... Kinsley came alone and we started over.
There is one more thing I didn't tell anyone. After Jay past away and Sammy got back on the road (traveling/working) I'd sleep on Sammy/Jay's side of the bed. Guess what??? I still do.
Bonus Story:
It was on a Friday night and Sammy had called and said his flight had gotten delayed and he would be in sometime Saturday before lunch. He got to checking around other airlines and got a flight out that night but he forgot to call and tell me. So it's like four in the morning and he calls and tells me he is outside on the porch and he didn't have his house keys, would I come let him in? When I opened the door, he fell all over me laughing. What is it????
Sammy: I was sitting outside calling you and I got the wrong number twice, but ladies answered both times and I thought it was you and I said," Hey baby if you will come and unlock the door... I'll sleep with you tonight".
Now he was saying all this in his deep (and sexy acting) voice (he would kill me if he knew I was sharing this but I think I've heard him share this with his friends and maybe Heavenly friends now).
Me: What did they say?
Sammy: Well I got a cussing with the first one. The second one, said she would be right there. Then I caught her voice and I knew it wasn't you.
Me: Is that why you said Teresa when I answered the phone.
Sammy: Heck yeah!! I couldn't chance it. I already had one woman (somewhere) waiting on me at her front door.
Me: OH MY GOSH!!! IN YOUR DREAMS, BUDDY.
It was hard getting to our room that night cause we were laughing so much and trying not to wake the kids.
Just thinking,
I know in time this will get better but when the phone rings at night .... you know who I want it to be. I miss the "I'm home".....the Jeep pulling in with music cranked up......and his luggage and brief case at the door but most of all I miss THAT MAN IN THE BED, THAT LITTLE BOY BESIDE THE BED AND THAT BABY IN THE BABY BED.
Dear Lord,
I know this is just a temporary home but what I loved about home is who I shared it with. I guess I never thought much about what we see is temporary but what we can't see is eternal. I pray when our time is up here and we make it through the pearly gates we can finally say "HOME SWEET HOME'. Bless my family, friends and blog readers. Amen.
It took a little getting use to him being gone 4-5 days out of the week. We had Nikki (4 yrs old) and Beth (2 yrs. old) and when he would leave, of course they would cry and hang on him, so it made leaving a little rough at times.
In '85 Jay comes along and after a year or so, then we had three crying after him and sometimes four... me. Sammy/ Rusty always from day one called us every night to see how our day went and tell us he loved us. One by one he would talk to each one of us. When Jay was around 3 yrs old, Sammy had a daddy to son talk with Jay.
Sammy: When I'm out of town you can be the man of the house.
Jay: I get to sleep on your side of the bed.
Sammy: yep!!
Jay didn't really like sleeping in his bed, some nights he would crawl in the bed with Beth, so he was happy about this. I gotta tell ya there were some mornings I would wake up not knowing which room I was in and sometimes all three would be in the bed with me. Up and down all night. Jay got used to sleeping on his daddy's side of the bed and it became a problem when Sammy would come home. He wanted to sleep with us and Sammy wouldn't have it. So Jay and I had a little secret Sammy NEVER knew about. Remember those little mats kindergarteners would use for nap time at school? Well, we had one and we hide it under MY side of the bed. If Jay had trouble sleeping he would come in and tap me on the shoulder and pull his mat out. I had a small pillow and blanket under there too. Then we would hold hands till his would drop off to sleep. I get up a few minutes early and move Jay back to his bed and shove all that bedding under the bed.
One Friday night I knew Sammy was coming home in the wee morning hours so I laid down in Jay's bed so he would sleep in there. Now there was a short time when Sammy grew a short beard and the kids sotta got use to him having one and on this particular night he decided to shave it off before coming home. Well Jay wakes up sometime after Sammy came home and he comes in the bedroom and wakes me up saying, MAMA WHO IS THAT MAN IN THE BED WITH YOU? My eyes immedently flew open and I looked to my left. Sammy was wide awake and shaking. He was so tickle! I was dead asleep when he came home and didn't even know he had crawled in the bed with me. Now I'm pretty much a light sleeper when he is on the road but if I know he is coming home.... I'm OUT!
As the kids got older it got better... then.... Kinsley came alone and we started over.
There is one more thing I didn't tell anyone. After Jay past away and Sammy got back on the road (traveling/working) I'd sleep on Sammy/Jay's side of the bed. Guess what??? I still do.
Bonus Story:
It was on a Friday night and Sammy had called and said his flight had gotten delayed and he would be in sometime Saturday before lunch. He got to checking around other airlines and got a flight out that night but he forgot to call and tell me. So it's like four in the morning and he calls and tells me he is outside on the porch and he didn't have his house keys, would I come let him in? When I opened the door, he fell all over me laughing. What is it????
Sammy: I was sitting outside calling you and I got the wrong number twice, but ladies answered both times and I thought it was you and I said," Hey baby if you will come and unlock the door... I'll sleep with you tonight".
Now he was saying all this in his deep (and sexy acting) voice (he would kill me if he knew I was sharing this but I think I've heard him share this with his friends and maybe Heavenly friends now).
Me: What did they say?
Sammy: Well I got a cussing with the first one. The second one, said she would be right there. Then I caught her voice and I knew it wasn't you.
Me: Is that why you said Teresa when I answered the phone.
Sammy: Heck yeah!! I couldn't chance it. I already had one woman (somewhere) waiting on me at her front door.
Me: OH MY GOSH!!! IN YOUR DREAMS, BUDDY.
It was hard getting to our room that night cause we were laughing so much and trying not to wake the kids.
Just thinking,
I know in time this will get better but when the phone rings at night .... you know who I want it to be. I miss the "I'm home".....the Jeep pulling in with music cranked up......and his luggage and brief case at the door but most of all I miss THAT MAN IN THE BED, THAT LITTLE BOY BESIDE THE BED AND THAT BABY IN THE BABY BED.
Dear Lord,
I know this is just a temporary home but what I loved about home is who I shared it with. I guess I never thought much about what we see is temporary but what we can't see is eternal. I pray when our time is up here and we make it through the pearly gates we can finally say "HOME SWEET HOME'. Bless my family, friends and blog readers. Amen.
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