The weekend I have been waiting for...!

Hello my friends!!! I kno I kno, I have not been doing a good job of keeping up after I promised myself to do so!!! but anyway, Im back and with a really good blog today!! ok so back in December I attended a womens retreat, my first one ever, and I really enjoyed it!! I mean REALLY enjoyed it! So after I had experienced it and arrived home I shared with my husband how awesome it was and how awesome it made me feel. He was happy for me, but that was it. He wanted no part in ever experiencing for himself. To be honest it kinda hurt my feelings the way he put it... I mentioned that a mens retreat was coming up soon, and before I could even BEGIN to suggest that he attend, he stopped me right in my tracks of words and said in a rude manner "if theres a mens retreat I WONT go" It hurt my feelings but I dropped the subject and never really talked about it again to him. In the meantime I prayed alot about it though. I knew that I myself could never force him to go so I prayed that God touch his heart and mind so that from his own person he would want to go. As with most men my husband likes to drink his beer every now and then, but the fact that he doesnt drink often, I guess his mindset is to drink nonstop when he has the chance and well I HATE IT! Always have and always will... Hes not the violent or hateful "drunk", hes the happy talkative "type" and that burns me up even more! I have never been into the drinking thing, I really dont understand the concept, ppl drink and drink and then feel horrible the next day???? odd to me that one would put oneself in that kind of predicament! LOL! I can honestly say I can count how many girly fruity drinks Ive had in my life, starting at age 24! haha... yea lame to some, but like I said not my "cup of tea" So anyway, 90% of any of our arguments have been over his coming home "happy", and the love that I feel for him turns quick into "I love you so much that I HATE that you do this therefore you make me hate YOU!" Very frustrating because in the sober normal state he is the best husband I could ever ask for and the best dad Leslie could ever have! So the fact that alcohol could have such an impact on our lives especially our marriage makes me want to vomit! But a "macho man" not drink, that is unheard of!! ugh! Needless to say I pray so much for this awful enemy to withdraw itself completely from him FOREVER! Well, ladies and gentlemen, Im not sure what it was that prompted him to FINALLY decide to go, but this past weekend Cesar Palacios, aka my hubby, lol, attended a mens retreat in Odessa, TX!!!! Alleluya!!!! :) The fact that he even "decide" to go was a blessing in itself, but then came the real and true test... Would he even get anything out of it? Would he be bored out of his mind? Would he feel what God has been trying to tell him? I prayed so very much since he left Friday until yesterday. At the end of these retreats they hold a special closing ceremony so that family and friends can be there for support. Well we decided to surprise him and we took off yesterday morning in order to be there by 3 pm! I say surprise him because we never mentioned that we would go. He left Friday @ noon along with 5 other men and as he left I thought to myself, "God please guide all of them in Your path" So Leslie, my mom, and I get there and we hide so Cesar couldnt see us. To see him be SOOOO into the worship and sing to our Savior--- It brought tears to our eyes, bawling!! But they were tears of happiness... When the service ended, Leslie and I went up tom him from behind and he was totally shocked and so happy to see us as we were as well to see him! We held each other for what seemed an eternity but we didnt want to let go and it was just amazing! I hope this lasts in him forever!! There were so many men that attended, we were very surprised to see all of them together in worship and loving it! Cesar said he enjoyed it so much and he didnt even want to leave, lol! I remember feeling the same way when I went.... it was just so much peace and heart filled of so much LOVE... *big sigh* There were even 4 men that proposed to their "wives" in civil union to be married through the church.!! That was def another tear fest! lol... all in all my friends this was something so amazing for my family and we are so blessed to have been able to live this. whew! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :) Much love, Yess :)