Ah, Love...!

I've been thinking about my post all day after what happened last night during the fundraiser. I haven't had the patience in the past to go into a lot of blogging detail, and quite frankly, my summarizations of the current events have barely warranted a blip on the radar. But the events from yesterday...ah, where to I begin...

First, I should explain that the fundraiser, which is put on by the private Catholic school, is basically an opportunity to play dress-up for the middle- to upper-class couples in our town. Silent and oral auction items are used to create funding for the school. Since 2001, I have attended each year, and for the past 2 years, I have attended alone. Jerry finds the whole business boring and I think he thinks it's too high brow for him. But it's really not like that. I probably wouldn't attend if it wasn't for the graciousness of Jerry's folks who have always been huge contributers, and who pay for our tickets as a way to get us involved. When Jerry had attended in the past, it was always a chore to pull him away from one group of people who wanted to chat it up to the next, so I'm not sure why he complains.
"It's boring," he says.
"Whatever," I think.
I'm very proud to know that even though Jerry comes from a family who people normally react with, "Oh, you're soandso's son!!", he is actually the MOST down-to-earth and non-assuming person I have ever met. It almost embarrasses him when people recognize his last name.

Jerry had made it quite clear weeks ago he would not attend, but would offer up some of his creativity and time to custom paint a golf cart to be offered in the oral auction, which is what he has done in the past. Again, I have to toot his horn as he never would, he is the best auto-body repair and paint man around. His father, a brilliant engineer and VP of a well-known company has never understood why one of his three sons would want to work with his *gasp* hands. And so it goes, to help out without actually having to hob-knob, he uses his talent to appease his parents. I try to convince him that he should attend as it was one of the rare opportunities to have adult-only interaction as a couple, and always, to no avail.

Anyway, I made plans to be there to meet with my friends, S. and B. around 5:30pm. Jerry and I worked on few "honey-dos" around the house and then I suggested he take Max to my folk's house on the farm so he can help my Mom with a faulty door. He got his tools and packed up some things for Max, including his pillow, blanket and burpie (some kids have lovies, Max has a burpie) as he had not yet napped for the day and he left the house about 2:00pm. I took my time and started getting ready. Hair, makeup, dress, last-minute panic about hosiery and some spilt makeup on my dress, and by 5:30pm, I was out the door with a call to Jerry to see how things were going. The door was fixed and he was wrapping things up.

I arrived at the school, that had been transformed for the evening to an underwater theme, complete with paper fish dangling from the ceiling, and quickly met up with my friends. Several times I was stopped with the question, "Where's Jerry?" to which I could only respond, this type of thing is not his thing. I spent some time checking out some auction items, especially the home improvement stuff, which I had been given the OK from by Jerry since we would need it for the new house, and blissfully became a regular at the temporary martini bar.

After I had pretty much made my rounds, I went to check the seating arrangements at my table to see who I was going to be paired with since I was one of the few (besides the requisite clergy), to be dateless. The name next to mine was unfamiliar, but my SIL informed me he was a friend of Father, and I should try to keep things tame until we could get a better feel for his overall personality.

I walked from area to area stopping with my friends while they signed up for a raffle, and I took a moment to scope out the room. I did a double-take. There across the room, was the face of a man I never thought I would see there. Our eyes met. My heart leapt. I felt a blush move over my cheeks. It was Jerry. Clean shaven and looking absolutely handsome. We each moved away from the people we had been mingling with towards each other and met in the middle. I was totally giddy with emotion, and if you hadn't known us better, you wouldn't have been able to guess we had been together for 13 years as I greeting him with a crusing hug and big kiss. He asked, "Are you surprised?" "Delightfully so!" I answered. If we hadn't been in a school, a Catholic school none-the-less, we would have found the nearest dark corner and made out.

Needless to say, I forgot that I was there to try to drown our infertility sorrows, even if it was for one night. Instead, I realized as crappy as things have been and with the all the recent disappointments, I know that Jerry will always be there. My rock and the true-love of my life. The optimism is back, and feel as if our love has been rejuvenated. At this very moment, I want for nothing.