Ode to Mark

A' camping he will go

Three weekends in a row,

He is the best that can be

I'm just so glad it is not me!

My Sweet Hubby took the kids camping for three straight weekends in a row. First Abbie with the American Heritage Girls, then the boys with the Cub Scouts, and then Tyler with the Boy Scouts. I know we all like to brag on our husbands, but ladies, let me tell you - I have a winner! He is the best daddy to our children. He is very serious about raising these kiddos and it shows in everything he does.

Speaking of camping, Mark likes to remind me of this story as much as he can.

We were married in August 1994. Well, the July before the wedding his whole family was going camping at Gulf Shores State Park. His family invited me and of course I had to go because my life would be over if Mark and I did not see each other for one weekend. I was crazy in love and I was not about to send my Sweet Love to the beach without me! Now, I had only been camping one time in my whole life before this. And my family does not do the camping things like Mark's. His family are pros. It would delight his mother beyond words to load up all her groceries, throw in some blankets, and go camping. Me, I have to have about 3 weeks to mentally prepare.

Well, we went. I would have followed him anywhere, even camping. The Clarks set up camp and we were conveniently located near the state park bathrooms. Let me remind you, this was his whole family, all the siblings, the in-laws, the children. They all brought their campers and tents and sat around and talked and walked to the beach. This was all new to me. When we went on vacation we did something. You would go Washington DC and see all the buildings. Well, anyway, I was there and, like I said, I was with my Mark and I was good.

The first morning we were there I got up very early, before anyone else, and ran to the bathrooms. I was not going to have Mark see me unshowered, with unbrushed teeth, and with no makeup. I did not want him to change his mind just one month before the wedding!

I walked into the huge concrete building and noticed they had one side for the potties and one side for the showers. Then the sinks and mirrors where in the middle of them both. Being that I had a 21 year old young bladder, and not the 35 year old- had four kids bladder that I have now I went straight to the showers. I was a little repulsed at how "primitive" the surroundings were, but like I said, my parents had already put a LOT of money into the wedding so I could not let Mark see me not "made-up." I know, so naive. So I showered and walked out to the mirrored place and proceeded to blow dry my hair.

Well, this man walked in, saw me, looked at me strangely, and then turned around and walked out. I thought, "Why is he looking at me strange, he's the one who just walked into the women's bathroom!" I finished my hair and started on my make up. Another man walked in, saw me, backed out, and looked at the door. He came back in, walked past me and headed to the separate potties. I could not believe it! What nerve!

And then it hit me.

I ran to the door and to my ABSOLUTE HORROR saw that I was in the MEN'S Bathroom!!!!

I had even showered in the MEN'S bathroom!!!!

In a mad haste I gathered up all my things and ran out the door straight into his family sitting around the campfire, starting breakfast. Embarrassed does not even begin to describe how I felt. They were all good-naturedly laughing at me, and of course Mark thought it was hilarious!

I wanted to just die right there, but like I said, there was already a lot of money put into the wedding. My dad appreciates that, I'm sure.

(Sorry about the spacing, it's not working for some reason)