Greatest Days with Gary

Yesterday was definitely a day that makes it on the "Greatest Days with Gary" list. Since we needed to postpone our July 4th plan to hang out with family, Gary, Meleana, and I spent early Saturday afternoon with Leilani at Splash in La Mirada. It was our first time there, and it was so fun! Meleana loved the water park - seeing all the different fountains and watching Ate run through them. The four of us went through the Lazy River (that's the COOLEST part)...Gary on an inner tube, Leilani swimming ahead, and me carrying Meleana in a baby life jacket. She was scared when we got in the water, but she got used to it after a while. Gary and Leilani are so funny - they did a Shamu show impersonation at the edge of the kiddie pool. =) It's too bad we don't live closer...we'd definitely get a season pass and go there all the time!

After we took Leilani home, we went to 99 Ranch Market to buy the rest of the ingredients for Gary's seafood boil. I had no idea what this dish was until I saw it being cooked on TV, and he had this urge to cook it so we planned a get-together at Em and Rob's house to make it for the family. You know, 99 Ranch is a lot nicer than it was back in the 90's when I used to go with my parents. It's cleaner and doesn't smell as fishy...and they have a nice little bakery, too. Honestly, my favorite section is the ice cream, but we had to go pick out some crawfish, shrimp, and crab. I don't know anything about buying seafood because I dreaded having to watch my dad handle the live crabs and throw them in the bag. So sad for the reject crabs that don't get picked because they are missing limbs...but I guess they get to live longer! The whole time we were there I was just imagining "Finding Nemo" and what the fish and crabs would be saying if they could talk...hehe =)

So we get to Em and Rob's and Gary hits the kitchen. Everyone else starts showing up and we're all pretty much hanging out as he's hard at work making this seafood boil. The effort he puts into the preparation of anything he makes is impressive, and so is the presentation. But THIS time, he outdid himself! It was AMAZING...even more so because it was his first try. Those who cook well are surely ones to be admired because it takes patience and a lot of care and attention to make food so delicious (that's why I just wash dishes!). We had a great time enjoying this wonderful meal...all gathered around the table in the backyard with the seafood spread mixed with sausage, potatoes, and corn...drinking Emeline's lemonade and finishing it off with Jenn and Dave's Nutella ice cream cones.

My husband finds so much joy from serving other people, whether it be cooking for them or helping them heal from an injury. It has been the greatest experience being married to him these past two years and watching him make people happy (most especially Meleana!). Thank you, Lord, for sending me such a blessed gift in Gary. What an awesome journey this is...