Monday, February 13, 2012

Up! Up! and Away! - Happy Valentine's Day!

I watched Up! again last night.  I know it came out 3 years ago but I just saw it for the first time a few months ago.  I love it.  It falls in the category of the movies I will continue to watch until the end, even if Laci has fallen asleep.  That movie is the ultimate love story.  The first 10 minutes get me every time.  And the scene with the two chairs sitting on the ledge or the house reaching its final resting place over Paradise Falls - love.  I saw a quote "Pixar created a better love story in 8 minutes than Twilight did in 4 books".  I haven't read Twilight so I can't comment directly but I don't know how much could top it.  The love story between Carl and Ellie is what I want.  It's what I believe I have.  

After I saw it the first time, I told Charlie that we need a dream.  We need our own Paradise Falls.  I have my dream - Charlie, Laci and Calvin is all I have ever wanted.  Charlie is still looking for that dream.  Carl and Ellie had their dream to get to Paradise Falls.  That is what they worked towards their whole life.  I am in tears when he looks at the scrapbook, turns the page and sees "their adventure" and pictures of their ordinary life.  My favorite thing in life is my ordinary extraordinary moments.  Ellie realized that they did have their adventure, even if they did not make it to Paradise Falls.  That house is Ellie to him.  When we were watching it last night, Laci said "Most people would just take a plane.  But he didn't want to leave his stuff."  I didn't explain to her that it wasn't his stuff he couldn't leave.  It was Ellie.  I hope I have Ellie's attitude that our life is our adventure - no matter how dull and boring it is.  If it is with Charlie, it's my adventure.  I love being on this adventure and looking for Charlie's dream with him. 

I have been working on Laci's scrapbook a lot this winter.  I am making good progress.  I was really stuck on the page I did for her Great Grandparents 70th Anniversary Party.  I just sit and stare at those pictures - Great Grandpa and Great Grandma together.  The whole family.  Great Grandpa and Great Grandma with the two kids.  I look at them and I see the amazing-ness of it.  That is what I want.  A lifetime with Charlie.  I read a People magazine article recently about John Glenn and his wife.  They have been married 69 years and grew up together as children - similar to Charlie's grandparents.  Amazing.  I believe that the marriage I have with Charlie is like that.  We're stuck together.  Like glue and nothing can tear us about.  Of all the variables and unknowns in life, the ups and downs, that is my constant.  He is the one thing that always feels right.  In every day daily life, he may drive me absolutely batty and totally crazy - the way he chomps his gum or waits to load the dishwasher.  He may not do things the way I do them.  I can't wait to grow old with him.  I don't know if we will make it to 70 years together but as many years as we have, it will be together.  As a side note, while watching the opening scene, Laci pointed out that their hair looked different.  I explained that when you get older, your hair turns gray.  She said "But Daddy's old and his hair is still black."  I had trouble not laughing on that one. 

While going through my scrapbook folders, I found this quote and added it to the anniversary page.  It reminds me of Charlie's Grandparents and where they are right now.  Grandma has severe dementia and is often gone now.  She is not who she was.  Unfortunately, I never met who she really is.  The "silent unspeakable memories" stands out for me.  They are often living in silence now.  But they are together and will be until their "last parting".  

“What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for life--to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?”  - Geroge Elliot

This is what 70 years of marriage looks like.  Beautiful
The quilt behind them was made for their 50th anniversary.

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