Imagine my surprise when my husband, out of the blue last summer (2007), surprised me with the current-on-the-stands, July issue of Martha Stewart Living.
How nice! I thought. He must see that I would love to take a few minutes and just sit myself down to peruse an inspiring magazine.
He's so thoughtful that way.
But then he said he wanted to show me something.
He took the magazine, turned to page 121, and handed it back.
This is what I saw.
Gasp!
It was our place! That same private, storybook estate, hidden along a high mountain lake in Montana where my girlhood wedding dreams came true!
And, now, here in my hands, I was looking at a beautiful article featuring a Fourth of July celebration held at that very place!
In moments, I was there again, stepping through the arched doorway of that cottage, onto the stone veranda...
...this stone veranda.
This canopy of trees, this gathering below, the quiet lake beyond...
... took me to this canopy of trees, this gathering below, the quiet lake beyond.
This shore line, this celebration, this explosion of fireworks...
...brought me to this shore line, our celebration, our fireworks.
*****
It seems that my sister-in-law, who I will always love and cherish, was the first to spot this article, and she, being ever-so-thoughtful, called to let us know. My husband happened to answer the phone, and, right away, he put this little morsel of information up his sleeve and made a quick dash to the nearest shop to snatch up this little treasure.
I married the right man.
