Sunshine Cake or The Day I Fell in Love With Alan Lane

April 19, 1995. It was a really rough day for the entire United States, especially Oklahoma City. That was the day that the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was destroyed by a terrorist bomb attack. Instantly everyone had their television or radio on. The internet was in early days so we couldn't go there for news and information like today. I always take things that happen deep within my body, heart, and soul. April 19th was black for me. I could feel the children's terror and the deep grief that struck everyone. I was working at a child abuse clinic (the C.A.R.E. Center of TTUHSC) and my project for the day was cleaning and organizing the small library we had there. It was already a rough day because a library at a child abuse clinic is full of material on, well, child abuse. Then the news of the bombing came through and we all felt sick to our stomachs, sick at heart. I had a television on to watch the news while I sorted through books and slides. Early in the afternoon the news on the bombing was interrupted by a tornado warning for Lubbock County and the City of Lubbock. The bad weather and tails of tornados were heading straight for the area where my two sons were enrolled in elementary school, Lou Stubbs. They wanted parents to come pick their children up if possible or they would be held at the school. To say I was freaking out is putting it mildly. I was completely distraught. We only lived about a block from the school and Alan was at our home. I tried to call Alan, but all lines were busy. Then the Texas Tech emergency alarms went off, the electricity went out, and everyone in Thompson Hall was gathered in the basement. I was really freaking out by that time!

After a while, the alarm was cleared, the electricity was turned back on and I found out the boys were safe at home. Alan was coming to pick me up from work. I was completely wiped out in every way possible. Alan was very kind and reassuring on the way home. We had been good friends for a very long time and I was half way in love with him already. He didn't know that, but it was true. As we pulled up in front of my home, Alan said he had a surprise for me. Inside he proudly displayed a lemon/yellow cake. That cake was literally a ray of sunshine for me in an otherwise horrible day. I called it a sunshine cake and...I fell the rest of the way in love with Alan. The fact that he knew I was so distraught and he wanted to cheer me up and lighten my load sank in like sunshine to my soul and that was that. I was totally, completely in love with Alan Lane. He had no idea of course. Men are quite dense about such things most of the time and I tried not to give myself away. Only later did I tell him the significance of that simple sunshine cake.

Alan and I have gone through many tough times together. Our marriage at many times almost didn't survive. We each went through the pain of watching our parents get horribly sick and pass away, but we did it together. Throughout all of our difficult times and our good times, one thing I could always count on was Alan recognizing when I needed encouragement and love. Sometimes he met those needs through simple long talks and cuddling. Sometimes he took me on road trips to ease my pain. Often times he surprises me with simple gifts or cards or times by myself to just be. Alan and I really love each other. Our relationship and marriage has grit and love. You need both to have a good, lasting marriage.

Today for Valentine's Day he bought me flowers, gave me a card, took me out to eat lunch and when we came home....he had made another sunshine cake. I was touched to tears because sunshine cakes have come to be the symbol of his love for me and my love for him. I'm not a diamond and caviar type of gal. Just give me the love of my husband and a sunshine cake and it's a perfect Valentine's Day for me.