Once upon a time, there was a boy named Curt and a girl named Val and they fell in love and decided it would be good to marry. Their families agreed, so we all gathered in Ontario to witness the glorious union. Curtis was (and still is, it's true) my cousin, and I was one of his groomsmen. So my family all went up, but I made the journey early. After all, it's not every day that you have a good excuse to hang out in Canada! So I went up for the whole week and everyone was expecting me but Curtis' sister Sam. You see, Sam is one of my favorite people in all the world, so I wanted to surprise her with my early arrival. Her parents knew and so did Curt, so they played along. My good buddy Vineyard and I made the epic drive north and arrived at Curt's apartment late that night, got some shut-eye, and prepared for a great week. The next morning, we went over to the Heaton home. Uncle Collin saw us pull into the driveway, and called down to the unsuspecting Sam.
“Hey Sam, someone left our trashcans out in the road. Could you go check it out?”
“Why don't you go, Dad?” rebutted Sam, because who asks his daughter to do such things?
After some back and forth that can only happen between father and daughter, Sam meandered out the front door and down the porch steps. There were no trashcans out on the street, of course, but our van was in the driveway. For a second, she assumed we were just some wayfaring strangers, lost in suburbia Canada. Then it clicked, and she exploded. I have no better word for her expression. A smile overtook her face and she immediately burst into dancing around the van. I'd never seen so much energy come from one little body and I've not seen it since. The week went of brilliantly, just as a wedding celebration should, but that moment is one that will always stay with me. The joy of my cousin and friend at simply seeing me. What that does to the heart, the love and encouragement I feel from that memory, it can never be replaced. So thank you to my dear Sam for that; and thank you, Lord, for such amazing friends and family like this.
fun times writing a song that week