Day 3: Lucky Number 3

Three...What is it about this number that has had me so perplexed? Ever since I was a little kid, three has been my favorite number. My junior high basketball number was 3, Chuck Akulis who was my favorite racer at the dirt track I worked at was 3, and because I was slow my only chance in basketball was the 3. However, with this, 3 was one of my biggest challenges. Three has the meaning of "eat, pray, and love" which I could incorporate into today. We eat together as a family, we love as a family, and when we pray at Jordan's bed at night, we do it hand in hand as a family. I could also look at it as three of God's attributes that are omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. There are three great divisions completing time--past, present, and future. However, I choose to look at Day 3 as linear. Since two lines cannot possibly enclose any space, it takes three to form any solid figure. It is in this symbolism of the number three that I see my wife, as she is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire.

As, I struggled with Day 3 like no other, I realized what made me attracted to Sandra from day one. As I stated earlier, it is the fact that she has all the attributes that the number three stands for, which makes her such a unique woman. When she meets someone it is for who they are, not what they look like or what others may portray them to be. It is what is inside of them that she sees. The more that I thought about the caring soul that she is, the easier it became to me what Day 3 should be about....others stepping forward for her. With this in mind I knew what Day 3 should be about.

The day started with me receiving a text at work in the morning that simply stated "Day Three." I did my heart good to know that she woke up wondering what the day had in store as a child wakes up on Christmas morning. The day was a challenge for me not only in thinking about the number three, but in working around her meetings at work to pull off what I had in mind. Having tried to get her to put off her afternoon meeting, as usual, she declined stating that the March of Dimes meeting was more important than her celebration. Not expecting any less I understood, respected, loved, and adapted. Initially planning Day 3 at 3:33 I realized that a moment in time is something that we may want often for selfish reasons, but it is better served for purposeful reasons. With that in mind I asked her to join me when she was done with her meeting.

When I left my last day of teaching summer school, I went by and visited a lovely florist and told her I needed three flowers for a special occasion for my wife. She stated that the only flowers that they sold as singles were roses. Having given her a rose for Day 1 I wanted to do something different. I found yellow daiseys that were numerous in blooms but all came from three stems. As I went to the register I also picked up a 3 Musketeers bar and sent her a picture of it stating "Day Three Is Here". As I was heading to the destination, right across her work, unbeknown to her I ended up right behind her car as we were driving. At that time Erin Hildreth had texted me stating "I am here". Initially going to pull in behind my beautiful bride to her work, I quickly made a U-turn to go to 419 Restaurant to meet Erin. At that point I told Sandra that I was across the street and to come join me for a beverage.

About 15 minutes later my lovely bride came walking in and saw her good friend Erin and wondered what was going on. While we sat there and chatted, our wonderful bartender, Jessica Weimer, fixed her a Three Olive Vodka and Cranberry beverage, along with cutting Sandra's flowers and putting them in a vase in front of her. A few moments later another of her dear friends, Bob Patrick, came in followed shortly by one of her close girlfriends Kim Turner. As it turned out there happened to be three friends on Day Three, with a Three Olive drink, three flowers and a 3 Musketeers. A wonderful time was had by all, yet her night was not over.



Traditionally, Thursday nights is guys night with a great friend of mine, as well as someone whom I admire, Jonathan Lee. We have know each other since college and have been very close ever since. He joined us at Fork in the Alley for dinner and wonderful conversation about every thing from great movies to great American Heros. Again, Sandra was in the middle of three for a very nice and relaxing dinner at an outside venue on a great summer night. The evening actually ended in a very unplanned, ironic, and saddening moment for the day. I was aware that before the evening started that one of my favorite shirts had a small hole in the back, however, it was hard to notice so I continued to wear it out. With sadness, it was pointed out to me at dinner that there was also a hole in the right elbow and upon inspection there was also a small hole in the left as well. Devastated that one of my "go to" shirts would have to be retired, I found solice in the fact that if it was going to be "put down", it was the perfect night as there were Three holes discovered, on Day Three!!!


July 9, 2009


Day 3: Lucky Number 3


37 to go....