HELLO, MA'AM.
THE CAVALRY HAS ARRIVED.
I AM SGT MICHAEL H. BEALL
I AM SGT MICHAEL H. BEALL
i WAS ASSIGNED TO...hmm, LET'S SEE...
WHERE WAS I, OH YES, I'M ORDERED TO...'er
SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS!
(I THINK I'M GONNA' LIKE THIS QUICK LITTLE ASSIGNMENT)
Oh, I wasn't expecting - well, this seems like a little overkill, don't you think, Sargeant? Surely tanks don't run around making 'house calls' - I'm just surprised.
Ma'am, I am what's called a 'Weekend Warrior' - a National Guardsman and we take care of the homefront...that's you. Now then, you have a problem, I'm here to help.
I'm not sure about this, maybe I shouldn't have acted so quickly. I was lonesome and a bit depressed...I overdrew my bank account and my dad won't let me use the car. And....
Oh hey now...don't cry...I can't stand seeing a girl cry...I can help you. Here's my handkerchief...(I always have one handy), blow your nose, wipe those pretty eyes. How's about dinner tonight...on me?
Ooh, we don't even know each other; what d'you think?
Well, you know; I'm a Sooner and we sorta' rush - but we can just start w/a little dinner and see what happens, okay?
(What lover boy doesn't know? I'm a Sooner, too. He's in for the time of his life!)
I'll go if you leave the tank at the Armory and pick me up in your car...a deal? A Deal.
Okay, seriously that was not how our story began. It simply began as we think God meant it to be. Could it be He carried love bugs in his pocket? If so, I was bitten from head to toe but M was always practical. The Weekend Warrior was mobilized, ready to deploy and was not about to take a wife who could be an instant widow. So then? I learned to wait and wait some more. The minute he got off that train, being a woman of action I took command and less than a month later we were married. He quickly ordered my rings out of a grocer's catalogue. Thinking ahead, I had already purchased his ring. He smiled the whole way...hey, he had a new Ford...paid for, ready and waiting. Lest you think it was perfect...not, not.
His younger brother followed M who was driving a pickup to load up some furniture...from Oklahoma to Odessa. Ben had to try out the new Ford and got carried away - off the highway. M's wedding suit was saved but some of his stuff was gone with the Texas wind. His parents drove our injured Ford and we took their old Chevy on our honeymoon.
That's our beginning. Here's a funny for you. On our way from honeymooning we stopped by my parents for a day/night and who should 'drop in' but my last serious boyfriend. He wanted to meet the 'victor'. He was nice and very well heeled...he just wasn't 'the one'. Nobody could top Michael...no way.
We did not have a perfect marriage...no way. But you know, he only tried killing me just once. He failed...obviously 'cause I'm still here. I was long suffering; I only got hysterical on him late in 2017; he threatened to have me committed to a mental hospital. Just because I was jumping up and down, swinging my arms while yelling at the top of my lungs...at him. Other than those infinitely tiny instanceS did we fall into a ditch.
While he continued as a Weekend Warrior he worked for his dad in the grocery store; then we bought into a Cities Service Gas station...bought into a hardware/feed store w/his dad. M went to Virginia for a military course while I was the taG agent. M wanted me to be busy so he hired a person to sit w/the four boys while I could be 'busy'...imagine that??? When he returned he applied for Active Duty - accepted and we were off for our first vacation; we'd never before had neither the time or money, paradise found.
I've been thinking about responsibility and what that meant for me. M and I had common focus points, stuck together concerning discipline, etc. Our lives were exciting for our family; we lived with Greek's, German's...the boys made friends w/everyone we met, learning to blend with many foreigners. It was about blending, accepting...being accepted. Worshipping with those who had their own traditions and cultures. It wasn't the 'American religion'...our family learned well and we were happy!
M and I have been 'spirit led' our 67 years together. Now, it seems our sons are doing likewise. It's such a treat w/all of us living in this metroplex...the treat in large is they watch and tend to our needs most lovingly. All our2 grandgirl's, 8 grandson's...four with wives...a great grandgirl...2 great grandboy's.
Michael's quiver is full. His arrow's will assure the continuation of his legacy and what a one it will be...God blesses us as He did from the beginning, We stubbed our toes many times but He always was there to pick us up and continued leading us.
Sometimes I look back and think 'How in the world could we have done those early years? We had no benefits for the first ten years. Yet, we paid for prenatal, birthing, etc. I had two major surgeries and Patrick had one in our first 7 years. We didn't have the money for one birth so the doctor agreed to do the delivery in his office and sent me home right afterwards. All four of the boys were healthy from the get-go...M worked 7 days a week. Still, I got the boys and me to class and worship while M could dash and get himself there...on time. Thank the Lord I didn't have to use 4 carseats!!! I covered orange crates for end tables. We thought our tiny house sitting in a pasture full of cows wih no fences was heavenly. I was such a proud little wife and mother.
Fast forward and we were with King's...royalty. Viet Nam was thrown in plus a year in Ethiopia which was scary.
What a turnabout and an education for our family. We were able to be assigned to Norman, Oklahoma. Being Oklahoman residents we could use a smaller tuition, board the boys at home and attend OU...you know, the one??? God kept on blessing.
Michael needed some final classes to be eligible for promotion to full Colonel. We'd never planned on that...the Impossible Dream? With God directing M's last assignment turned out to be For Leavenworth...Command and General Staff College where he would be an instructor. His boss told him he could squeeze those classes in...did he think M could do it. Surely did and he made that last unpredicted promotion. God did the planning and execution...M studied.
That brings us to the Fourth Quarter. Pretty sure M is planning to make a great touchdown fairly soon if God answers his prayers.
And that's a good thing...a happy thing because he is tired, so worn out and he needs a rest. I am fine with it too...it's the way he wants and he is so ready. He's been a loving, faithful servant all his life, so it's about time.
M and I are all about love; he's told me so often, "Vasca, you really overuse the word ' LOVE'. Well, I beg to differ with him and continued being 'LOVE' and he finally gave it up and followed his wife, for once. Love is a wonderful thing...after all, God is Love.
"Love, love changes everything" and that's what I believe
and practice. It turned my world upside down and back again.
All because God put that awesome, blonde, sweet angel man
with the twinkling hazel eyes and captivating smile in front
of Vasca's hazel eyes and Whoop-ti=doo;
God's plan took off like a rocket and never sputtered. Could He had given M one of those lovebugs...just in case! As if!!!
Thank you for sticking with us all this time; you are keeping us afloat as we follow God to what is to come...only He knows...we're simply tagging along. Wait and see, okay? Sure! This may be a long fourth quarter, you think?
M has always been my hero...save me? He has done that; and ours is an old, old story that becomes more rich w/age. Oh, how I LOVE it. Was it the uniform? Nah! You know what it truly was? Michael's Godliness...that won my heart. Indeed!
From my heart full of love...to yours, Vasca
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