The week hadn't been the best.  Work was going overtime every night, but the overtime wasn't making a dent in the bills.  I hadn't gotten to do anything outside for weeks because of continuous rainstorms.  It seemed like the rain clouds were hanging over my head. 

 

On my first free, sunny evening in weeks, I went to the stable where I keep my horse.  I was looking forward to getting him out and getting the both of us some fresh air and exercise.  But my plan was brought up short.  As I went into the pen to get my horse, I inadvertently stepped into a deep pit of mud and manure.  I was sucked into the bog of filth and couldn't free myself.  My rubber gum boots that were supposed to keep me dry, filled with water and sucked me deeper into the mud.  As I struggled to free myself and keep my balance, the suction got worse, and I fell like a tower into the mud....FACE FIRST.  Not only was the mud cold, but it was so deep!  I panicked, and the fear that I would be stuck in the slime and grime motivated me to get out.  Lacking any way to get clean enough to drive my car home, a garden hose substituted for a shower.  I washed away the pounds of mud that came out with me, cleaned up the gum boots and headed home.

 

As I was driving, I was sobbing.  I was so frustrated by everything and it all came crashing down.  Then my cell phone rang.  It was my boyfriend.  He was great and talked me out of my crying.  We made plans to meet for a church festival the next day and then we hung up. 

 

The next day he surprised me at the church with a paper bundle tied with raffia ribbon.  It almost looked like something you'd get from a fish market.  Then I tipped it forward and inside were the two prettiest red roses I'd ever seen.  Then he said "I don't buy flowers on the usual days you're supposed to, because I want to save them for occasions like this.  I figure that if you fall into the mud, you should come out smelling like a rose".  With that I started crying again.  He said, "you're not supposed to cry when you get flowers, you're supposed to smile and be happy".  Then I told him it was the first time a boyfriend brought me flowers, and that the tears were happy tears.