Molasses

When someone or something moves slowly my cousin had a favorite saying - "It's like molasses moving uphill. In January." Quite often in dreams when I need to run I feel like I'm stuck in slow motion or molasses.

In music the drummer keeps the time, sets the pace, keeps the tempo steady as it were. When I first played in live bands we could get into a fantastic groove that flowed and time was liquid because, and this may come as a surprise, drummers do more than keep the time - they can push or pull the tempo to give the music a different feel. Usually we keep within certain bounds, but we can rush the beat slightly to give the music a sense of urgency. Or we can pull back the tempo slightly to change the feel of the piece.

Back when I was with London Bridge in Utah we had to play to a click track as the extra instruments and percussion were automated via Midi - and while we were the top dance band in the state and played huge shows I missed the fluidity of time and the freedom of pushing or pulling the beats because we were keeping PERFECT, computerized time. Most audiences will not realize this sense of time, but if you listen carefully you'll "feel" what I'm talking about when you hear music.

I'm wishing I could speed time even a little at this moment as you all know that Amy and I will be married next Saturday. But all my attempts to push the tempo, even slightly, are failing and I'm stuck in perfect time. UUUGGGGGHHHHH! So, rather than give in to time as it stands I'm finding all sorts of creative things to do.

- Played Risk for the first time with James today.
- Made my first blog entry in a month (you're reading it).
- Cleaned a closet. (Remember, I'm a guy and proud of it.)
- Cleaned ALL the laundry in the house. (Until today, now it's piling up already.)
- Got the kids all packed for our trip to Utah on Wednesday.
- Accomplished everything on my task list on Saturday and that hasn't happened EVER.

You get the point. Time is my enemy as it's the only thing standing between me and Miss Amy H. But there's no getting around it. Time stands still when Amy's not around and it rushes by like the wind when we're together.

However, Time has also been a friend I suppose. We've had time to get to know each other a bit more over the last four weeks and in ways that are very deep and poignant. And time has deepened our love and increased my love for Amy. She is (for lack of a better adjective) amazing. Even the children are begging for the time to pass more quickly. Isn't that wonderful?

So, as with listening to music, Time's tempo seems to be rushed at times and pulled back at others, yet we all know that it's pace is steady.

For more on time listen to Rush's song, Time Stand Still off of the Hold Your Fire album from 1987.

Well, that's it for now as I'm out of Time.

Sincerely,

Mike

Reminders

Gabby and James just came in from school this afternoon and as I was standing in my kitchen with Gabby a thought came to me . . . though Amy is not here in Redmond with me right now there are reminders of her all around.

To wit:

- Amy’s favorite store is . . . Costco. I made cookies for the kids from Otis Spunkmeier and those come from Amy’s store. As Gabby and I were chowing down on chocolate chip cookies I thought of Amy.

- Amy loves thick, white towels. When she visited last time I came home to find all new white towels and rugs in the bathroom. Oh, these were also from . . . Costco.

- Amy loves holidays and the house is decked out for Halloween. I’ve no idea where the decorations came from, but I might venture a guess.

There are several other reminders, but wow – first I can’t think of anything but Amy 24x7 and then there are reminders throughout the house. How fun!

I could not be happier except that rather than reminders of Amy I just wish she were here in person.

Mike

True Love!

I love you guys! I miss you like crazy! (ONLY 41 MORE DAYS!) Thanks for letting me play with you the past week! xooxoxoAim

A Beautiful Fall Day at Remlimger Farms

FOREVER CHANGE MY WORLD

Mike's sweet mom "Grandma Mary" sent me a really neat email today. Included in her email was a poem that she wrote. I loved it and wanted to post it here!

Last Weekend in Utah

Weekend in Midway

Dreams......

Hello there! I’m Amy…..the girl Mike may have mentioned a time or two. I’m the girl that can’t believe she’s finally found the man of her dreams and didn’t have to settle on one thing. I’m the girl that at 34 years old, wondered if a man, with all of the qualities that I’d had hoped for, dreamed about and tried so hard live worthy of and to be ready for, could possibly exist. I’m the girl who…. at the beginning of this new year, prayed for contentment and more patience…. in a plan I couldn’t begin to understand but knew existed for my life. I am a girl that is profoundly honored to be the future wife of Mike Whitmore and absolutely humbled at the opportunity to be a mother to three beautiful, loving, trusting, kind, and fun children! My heart is over flowing with excitement and joy as I live each day, getting to know my future family better and better.

There is a place in my heart however that aches at times. It aches for the girl who once dreamed about marrying a man like Mike Whitmore. I’m sure she dreamed of one day having children like Alexis, James and Gabby. I can’t help but think she dreamed of kneeling at the alter of the temple…across from her “dream man” to be married for time and all eternity. Over a period of about 18 years, her dreams came true…. one by one, just like mine (only mine seemed to appear all at once!) For some reason, that girl---who grew up to be Mrs. Deborah Whitmore, was chosen to give her dreams up, for a time, and by doing so, allowed all mine to come true. I can’t begin to understand the how’s and why’s, but I am beginning to realize the magnitude of the responsibility that I have to ensure that she gets those precious dreams returned back to her someday!

Although I have never been blessed with the opportunity to meet Deborah in this life….I have come to admire, respect, appreciate and love her a great deal! I love her for many reasons and they seem to multiply each day as I have more and more to be grateful for! I recognize that Mike would not be the man that he is today, quite literally….the man of my dreams…. without a strong, loving, woman by his side. I owe her so much and I look forward to the day (hopefully many, many, many years from now) when I get to see her and thank her personally for the priceless gifts that her life…blessed mine with! I pray that I live each day with the gratitude I feel this day for Deborah and for her life.

My heart aches in another place as I think about Deborah’s family. Having been blessed with two AMAZING sisters of my own, I don’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to them. I literally cry my eyes out at the very thought of it. I can’t imagine how I would feel about meeting the woman one of my brother-in-laws had chosen to marry, after being married to MY sister. Knowing how much my sisters love being mother’s…..how much they love their husbands and adore their children….I know that nobody could love their families more than they do! (Second in line would for sure be me!) How could I trust some “new woman” to honor the sacred roll of motherhood the way my sister does? I would have a LONG checklist and for sure some kind of background check, possibly drug screening and of course there would be lots of prayer. One might begin to understand why I am anxious and nervous and excited to meet Deborah’s family! If any of you happen to be reading this, I hope you understand why I might have tears in my eyes when we meet! (Although, I’m sure I will be trying my hardest to contain my emotions…. as I look terrible when I cry!) I will understand if takes you a while to get used to the idea of me living in the same home as the Whitmore’s. I’ll understand if you ask me to slow down when I drive, or ask me to demonstrate that I can safely put Gabby’s booster seat in place. If you want to know about my family or my friends, my health history….what ever it is…..I’m happy to share…..because I would want to know everything I could about anyone who thought they had what it took to be a second mom to my sisters children. I would also want to know that my sister would not be forgotten and that her name would always be reverenced! Of that…..you have my word!




This is a picture of Deborah with Alexis, taken almost 12 years ago. I love the smile on her face as she holds her first baby, her little girl....Alexis. In some small way, I think I understand her smile! A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend time with Alexis, just the two of us. I asked her if she was OK with me joining their family. She shared some incredible things with me about her feelings on that subject. I told her that I had never been a mom before and that I was sort of clueless on how to be a mom to three children all at once. I told her that I had one thing.... "LOVE……I HAVE A LOT of LOVE in my heart to give.” Alexis looked at me with her big, beautiful brown eyes and said, “that’s good…because that’s all you need!” My eyes welled with tears and I smiled......according to Alexis……(and confirmed by a feeling that made my heart beat faster,) I have all I need to be qualified. I am confident that the Lord will take care of the rest!

Dreams do come true!

"But I Don't Want to be a Blogger!"

Who would read anything written by me UNLESS it was emailed directly to your inbox and I fooled you into thinking it was something from your boss? I mean c'mon, really? I can think of many other things I'd rather be doing than reading (or writing, quite frankly) someone's blog. I've never done it. Nope not once. I'm a virgin when it comes to blogging.

Well, I guess that's shot now, isn't it? (And everyone said it would be so memorable . . .)

And when I write I sound like Eyore. That can't be good for readers either. Who wants to read dribble authored by a stuffed donkey or your average-Joe Seattalite? But, since you're here and there's nothing on the 500 cable channels you pay for, your dishes and laundry are done, grocery shopping is completed and your cars are washed and topped off with gas, your children are all in bed with their schoolwork completed, you have no friends or family to call on the phone or to visit, you're showered, shaved and your fridge was recently cleaned out and the vacuuming is done . . . I guess you have time to read this.

Okay then. I get it. Now I need to write something worth reading. Something insightful. Something whitty. Perhaps something that will surprise or make you laugh or whatever. Okay then. I get it.

Here you go then - I love Amy Hutchins. In fact, I adore her. No, more than that - I want to be married to her forever. She is the epitome of the perfect woman and I am the LUCKIEST man alive.

That right there should cure my Eyore-syndrome.