A guest post about Motherhood, Romance, and Yearbooks
Christy and I met Jason and Rachel around two years ago – just a few months after we moved to Greenwood. Whether we’re serving together in our church’s Children’s Ministry or hanging out in Life Group together, I’m happy to say that they have become good friends of ours. And in a pretty cool plot-twist, we share the same wedding anniversary as Jason and Rachel do. We were married just a few hours apart! Pretty spooky, huh?
I am honored that Rachel was willing to share part of their story with you. I’m not ashamed to say that I may or may not have needed some tissues when I read the end of this.
**This post is part of an ongoing series in response to this question, “What’s the most romantic thing someone has done for you?” You have a story to share? Let’s hear it! Shoot me an email at mattdantodd[at]gmail[dot]com and let’s get it started!**
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In the world, every day, 361,481 babies are born. Many of them – the best estimates (more like guesstimates) I found are around 81% – will stay with one of their natural born parents. They will see their mothers for the first time on their birthday. For the rest of us, the adopted ones, we may never meet those that gave us life. That is unless you are married to this man!
Meet Jason Long. He is a steadfast husband, consistent father, and great provider for his family. We were married on 8/15/1998 in the tiny church I grew up in, in Reelsville, IN. We made a home in Austin, Texas for several years while he finished college and I worked. My husband is many things; however, a Romantic? Yeah, not so much. He is kind, loving, passionate about University of Texas football, and supportive of the kiddos and I, yet I still wouldn’t call him Romantic…except this one time.
On April 26, 2000 I only became a mama for the first time. It was a girl! A dream come true! Yes, she was healthy. Yes, she was smooshy and succulent and kissable and MINE! Yes, she looked…
wait a minute…
she looked LIKE ME. ME!
This was, at the age of 25, the first time I met someone that favored me. My steadfast hubs (after almost fainting at the joy that is childbirth) noted this in his engineer brain and saved it for what would become a single gallant act of Romance.
Now you know the back story, fast forward three years. Now I am 28, I have two kiddos and we are 5 years into our marriage. I am contacted by my bio-mom’s sister (that is only 6 years older than me, another fun story for another day) and the ball is in motion to meet my bio-family. I am so excited, I can’t stand it!!!!
Thhhheeennnn tttthhhiiinnngggss sssllllooowww dooowwn.
Although Auntie and I are ready to meet, bio-mom is still dealing with the trauma of “giving-up” her only child, me. I was a source of pain to this person and that broke my heart. I decided to let it rest rather than push another person to confront their past. I would leave it, hence causing myself this empty melancholy that I didn’t know existed before I knew there was hope to see her.
The Hubs gets to stand witness to this ordeal. I hurt, so he hurts. When a man of his level of wonderfulness sees his beloved in pain, there is but one option, sooth her. He didn’t try to fix it, but did do all that is within his power apply a salve of kindness. Unbeknownst to me Jason took a day off of work and went to Franklin Central High School were my bio-mom had graduated from. He used his sly cunning (or he just asked nicely) to see the year books from the three years that surrounded my Bio-mom’s possible graduation date. He found her. He copied every page that had her picture on it, every club, and every candid, all of them.
He got home early from “work” that day. We had dinner, we did baths, we did stories; no big deal. After the kiddos were snug in their beds, he came to the table to talk. Now, this usually meant I had forgotten a bill or we needed to cut back here or there, but tonight was different.
He pulled out a manila envelope and with love in his eyes and tenderness (and maybe a tad of fear, because, really, at this point, my reaction could go either way) in his voice explained what he had done that day and why he had done it. He slid the envelope to me and I looked upon the second face that looked so much like mine. Tears were in abundance and I have never before and never since felt more “romanced” by someone then right in that moment.
Bravo, Jason, Bravo!
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