Today is Cinco de Mayo. Yes, that is true, But for us, today is something more important! G's birthday is today!
The Top 5 Things I Love About G (this week - which is actually not a bad marriage building tip if you stop and think about it...)
# 5 - He taught me how to enjoy shopping. I know, it makes no sense, but in our relationship, G (the Man) is the shopper, not Deb (the Woman). I hear ya! I get it! Deb is supposed to LOVE shopping and G is supposed to tolerate shopping, but we are the exact opposite of the stereotype. BUT, what is interesting to me is that when I am with G, I actually enjoy the shopping (read: browsing) experience. And that shocks me more than it probably shocks anyone else! This "meanest, baddest hombre" picture is from shopping in Ft. Worth last year, in fact....
# 4 - We learn things together. Just yesterday we had an early dinner in at Bradden's in St. Charles and then had an after-dinner stroll (what they used to call a "constitutional") down by the river in what is now Katy Trail State Park. Well included in the park is a 4 or 5 panel exhibit with pictures, maps and stories of the history of the area. We enjoy reading through that sort of thing and discussing it and how it ties in with our individual knowledge of the subject or area. I love making those memories with my husband.
# 3 - His attention to detail. Whether it is in crushing peppermints...
...or putting in a community garden, he gives it his best. And his best includes the details. I don't have any pics of G working in the garden, but it has been quite the focus around here for the last few weeks, and it is coming along quite nicely. And trust me, there has been some angst surrounding this garden - all perfectly normal angst and differences of opinions for a first-year community garden, I am sure - but all of that angst can make a person want to simply ask "Is it worth it?" But G is doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do even when he may not "feel" much like it from time to time. Suffice it to say that from my many years as a single mom, I have a deep appreciation and respect for that quality in a person.
# 2 - How G interacts with little ones - and even big ones. Whether they be very little ones on their first Pie Night...
...or with his grandsons in a "fort"...
...or with my daughter B (who is now an adult). It has become a tradition (one that I LOVE by the way!) that G and B put the lights on the Christmas tree. And they make a great team!
And I also love how the little ones respond to him. J-man simply lights up when G comes around. J-man made G's day last Sunday when G walked around the corner of J-man's house into the back yard. J-man just smiled and started waving his little hand so big. What grandparent wouldn't love that greeting?! Our little K-man and G are also a great deal of fun to watch together...K-man is just getting so grown up!!!
And the # 1 Thing That I Love About G...
# 1 - How his kids accept and love me. I won't spend a great deal of time on this one, but I could and would understand if his kids were reticent to accept me, much less love me. But they haven't held back at all. They have welcomed me, in fact, and regularly tell me that they love me. That simply means a great deal to me, and is, at least in some ways, a reflection of what G has taught them in relating to and respecting what some like to call "parental figures". And yes, using that phrase just sorta made me vomit in my mouth a bit, so I will move on quickly! (Hope you're laughing or at least chuckling a bit at about this moment!)
So now it is time for The Top 5 Things I Would Give G if Time, Money and Resources Were No Object)
# 5 - All the visiting time in the world. G is a great visitor. He can visit with just about anyone on just about any subject. This is almost a lost art in this age of texting and FB-ing and tweeting, but G just about thrives on being around people and interacting with them, be they young or not-so-young of age.
# 4 - A large field that he can plant with any fruit tree or vegetable or flower you an imagine. Being outdoors and creating beauty and nourishment from plants feeds G's spirits in ways few other things can.
# 3 - All the country music and singing you could fit into the time leftover after visiting and gardening. Or better yet, a large stereo system that could blast country music to every corner of that field I would give him in # 4. G needs music to help him feel alive, and his first music love is Country, I do believe. And yes, I love him for that trait even if I am not so much the country music fan myself.
# 3 - A boat. A fishing boat to be exact. G loves to fish, but doesn't do it much at all. But a boat on hand just might encourage him to take a day off from the world and find his soul on the water with a line.
# 2 - A Cardinals season ticket holding for a lifetime. This man does love his Cardinals. He, of course, loves them better when they are scoring and winning than when they are not, but his love goes back to his childhood days in Springfield, IL, of listening to Harry Caray and Jack Buck calling the games on the radio.
And the # 1 Thing I Would Give G for His Birthday if Time, Money and Resources Were No Object...
# 1 - The world's best home workshop he could ever imagine so that he could create beauty with tools and wood and paint and finishes and all those other things that go along with a workshop that I have no working or even vocabulary knowledge about but don't lose sleep at night worrying about because I can simply trust others to know about those things. (Don't you just love a good, run-on sentence? So easy to understand, right?)
Now...I just got to thinking about something...if I did indeed give G all of these things, then chances are I'd never see him, because he would be visiting with everyone else while he was gardening and singing and cheering on the Cardinals and building things...hmmm...so maybe it is a good thing I can't give him all of these things!
I love you, honey. I'm looking forward to our day together and I hope we make it a very happy birthday for you! Happy! Happy! Birthday to G!
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