I Like Rain

Certain phrases have been ingrained in my psyche. Sometimes, they are from movies, a cartoon, words a child says before they understand the rules of our English language. Sometimes, they are phrases that I'll make fun of. Some are from childhood and some have been established since Troy and I have been married.

When Mom would be frustrated with my siblings and/or me, but not to the point of really being angry, she would say, "Slowly I turn, step by step, inch by inch...." I have no idea what this was from, but I still use it today.

When I was little and worried I was in trouble, I would ask, "Are you mean with me?"

Troy and I laughed at the exercise equipment commercial that shows the girl holding the waistline of a pair of jeans about five inches from her waist saying, "My fat jeans don't fit anymore!" Whenever we are feeling silly we use slurred, nasally voices to say, "My fat jeans don't fit anymore!"

Which brings me to the title of my post. Last night, Troy and I were at Target and I handed a last minute purchase to the cashier. It was a package of gum, the new Wrigley's "5". There are three flavors: Cobalt, Rain, and Flare. I decided since I have already tried Cobalt and Rain to try Flare. I wasn't sure, because the name "Flare" seems a little to cinnamony-hot for me. When I handed the package to the cashier, obviously a gum connoisseur, he said, "I like Rain. Have you tried Rain? I like Rain. Cobalt is good too, but I like Rain better. See?" He then showed me that he, in fact, had a package of Rain flavored gum in his pocket! Well, I also like Rain, so I changed my mind and exchanged the Flare for Rain.

So, from now on, if I'm trying to decide between two different things, I think I'll say to myself, "I like Rain."

Priceless

Parking for the Colorado Home and Garden show: $5
Admission to the Colorado Home and Garden show: $12 each
Leaving the Colorado Home and Garden show and realizing that we liked the Park Meadows store The Great Indoors better: Priceless


Dinner for two at Angie's Italian Restaurant: $30
Gas to drive around town trying to buy the Indiana Jones Movie Series: $3/gallon
Coming home and working together on a jigsaw puzzle until midnight: Priceless

But, Honey, I Did It For You

Troy and I decided not to go out to dinner last night for Valentine's Day. He had a long day on his work project and I had a long day at work. I was in no mood to stand in line at a restaurant. So, I stopped by King Soopers on the way home to pick up something special, yet simple, for dinner. (Can I just tell you I love the George Foreman Grill?) Our grill was covered in snow and it was too darn cold to be outside grilling anyway. So I picked up ready-made salad, potatoes for the microwave, and two nice NY strips, and ice cream. I love convenience. It's amazing that after a long day of work, I can go home and make a really nice dinner in under ten minutes.

I've been kind of in a bad mood the last couple of days. (I think it's a girl thing.) But I wasn't thrilled about spending even 10 minutes in the kitchen after a day of work. I divulge this information because it will help you appreciate the next 30 minutes of my life.

I walked into the dark house, groceries in hand. I yelled, "Hello" to no response. I assumed Troy was in the shower. Then I heard him say, "Honey, come up here." I looked upstairs and thought, "I know it's Valentine's Day, but I'm really hungry and unless there is a bed covered in chocolate covered strawberries, I'm not very happy." So I took a deep breath and asked God to help me appreciate anything that was waiting for me. Little did I know......

Troy was in the bathroom. My initial thought was "He ran me a nice hot bath, with candle light, and chocolate covered strawberries." (Can you tell I'm craving chocolate covered strawberries?) I walked in the bathroom and was struck speechless by what I saw.

There before me stood Troy in his boxers with a shaved head and a towel full of newly shorn hair. With a huge smile, he said, "Happy Valentine's Day!"

I burst out laughing. It was the kind of laughing that comes when all emotions hit your brain at once and laughter is what comes out of your mouth. Troy was heartbroken and then a little self conscious as he said, "But, Honey, I did it for you." At that point, I wanted to cry because I realized how much he looked like a little boy standing in front of me seeking approval.

We've had several discussions in the past about the fact that I think bald heads are sexy. As Troy was resenting his receding hairline, I was cheering it on! He told me about a week ago that he should just shave his head. I said, "I think you should." Hence, my Valentine's Day present. I love Troy. I don't care if he had purple hair down to his knees I would still love him. Having a shaved head just added to my admiration.

Last night, as we were watching Deal or No Deal I noticed that Howie Mandel (the bald host) has an earring. I said, "Maybe, now, you should get an earring."

Did I say that with my outside voice?!?!?!?!

Just Me and the Guys

This morning, I went to the Hallmark Store to get a Valentine's Day card for Troy. I have to get Hallmark cards because 1. I worked in a Hallmark shop for about two years in high school and it's kind of like Sylvan. Once you've worked for the best, you don't want anything else. 2. Troy actually looks at the back of the card to see if I "cared enough to send the very best". He does it in a sneaky way, but he does it. I've learned this the hard way. 3. I don't buy other stuff when I get a card at a Hallmark shop. If I go to the grocery store or Walgreens, my $3 card ends up costing me $33.

I digress.

So, there I am, on February 13th, at the Hallmark Store and I'm reading through all the cards and realize that for the first time in I-don't-know-how-long I was surrounded by men. Then I felt a little odd. I realized that I had become a cliche. Albeit a cliche about the male species, waiting until the last minute to get a card.

Then I started thinking, when did I get too old to really love Valentine's Day? Did I just wake up one morning and decide Valentine's Day wasn't as big a deal as it was last year? Don't get me wrong, I love hearts and flowers and pink lovey stuff. But the attention that one day a year gets for all of this seems a little over the top. Then, I realized that I haven't always loved Valentine's Day. In fact there were many February 14th's in the past that were down right miserable. Times when I woke on February 15th thanking the good Lord that there were 364 more days until the next dreaded holiday.

I digress again...........oops.

At this point in the card searching journey, I was jostled back to the present by a surly construction worker reaching for the card which obnoxiously played "Let's Get It On" when it was opened. EWWW!!

The rest of the day left me thinking about my sudden ambilivent feelings about the upcoming holiday. Then I realized that I am married to a wonderful man who makes me feel loved and appreciated. He doesn't wait until a certain day on the calendar to show his love for me. I hear his feelings from him, not from a musical card.

Thank you, God, for giving me a husband who gives me Valentine's Day every day.

The Princess and the Coffee Maker

A couple of weeks ago, I told Troy that I wanted a programmable coffee maker for Valentine's Day. I had contemplated this for a few days, especially at six o'clock in the morning as I (in my best zombie impression) stumbled downstairs to make my early morning pot of coffee.

After a few days I realized Troy had made no mention of my Valentine's request. So being the good wife, I mentioned it again. And in the wisdom that only God can give, Troy said, "I am not getting you a coffee pot for Valentine's Day." I looked up from whatever I was doing in the kitchen and asked, "Why not?"........."I will get you jewelry, perfume, or flowers, but I will not get you a kitchen appliance for Valentine's Day." Wow, what a man!!! I didn't realize that he had been contemplating the request....and the consequences of fulfilling that request.

I can totally see myself in a year saying, "Yep, last year, Troy got me an appliance for Valentine's Day. Can you believe that?" (Conveniently leaving out the fact that I had asked for it!) After a few seconds of silence. Troy said, "Go get a programmable coffee maker if you want one. It doesn't have to be a gift." Wow, what a man!!!

So, last night I stopped by Target on my way home from work and bought a Mr. Coffee programmable coffee maker. Upon arriving home, I immmediately took it out of it's plastic bag, styrofoam incased box. I moved the old coffee pot from it's place of honor and plugged in the new one in it's place. Immediately, I read the directions, and set everything to make a pot of coffee in the morning at exactly 6:00 am. Then I stood back to behold the magnificent machine!

I have to admit the next few lines are a little embarrassing to write.

I couldn't sleep last night. I was like a small child waiting in anticipation for Santa! I looked at my alarm clock for the fourth time. It said 5:59. In one more minute a small miracle would happen. Coffee would start brewing without me having to make the trip downstairs! I lay in bed thinking about how I felt like a princess. You know, the furnace clicking on at 6:00 am to warm the house, the coffee brewing....all while I still lay in bed.

I heard the furnace click on. Warmth filtering through the grates in the floor. But, alas, I didn't hear the coffee start to brew. Could my royal dream be coming to an end? Oh no! What if I didn't set it up correctly? What if it was broken? I was sure my day could only be a good day if the new miracle appliance on the kitchen counter was fulfilling it's job.

I put on my slippers and made my way down stairs. Dreading the site of a still empty coffee pot...........Guess what?!?!? The innovation fairies were in the process of making a perfect pot of coffee!!!!

And as I sit here writing this blog, I am drinking the second cup of this first pot of coffee from the wonderful invention sitting on my kitchen counter.

I wonder what Troy's getting me for Valentine's Day??

At This Moment....

I'm learning to live in the moment. For example, at this moment I could be thinking about the clean laundry piled in the next room calling out to me to be folded. I could be thinking about the plastic serving dishes from our super bowl party still sitting in my kitchen sink needing to be washed. (I know, pretty gross, huh?) I could be thinking about that new episode of Project Runway that has just finished recording on TIVO upstairs. I could be thinking about any number of things that I didn't do or that need to be done. However, right now I'm enjoying the moment. Listening to Troy doing a much needed cleaning of his desk drawers (Me thinks he's procrastinating a work project.) We are listening to new wave music on the stereo....you know the kind that sounds like what floating on the ocean under a cloudless, starlit sky must sound like. I'm enjoying this moment because my dear Father in Heaven authored this moment for me before he created that ocean. If I had spent the moment regretting the missed opportunities or worrying about the upcoming events, I would have missed out on what God created for me in this moment.

Thank you, God, for teaching me to stop and "smell the roses", feel your presence, see you at work, hear your voice, and have a taste of the peace that passeth all understanding.

Wow, Thanks Tricia!

Thanks to Tricia, I know about how to blog. I've been wanting to do this for a while and didn't know exactly how to get started. It's 5:51 am and I couldn't sleep so I decided to check out Tricia's site. Too funny and too cute!

Warning to all who are looking for adorable kids and family stories...the only children you'll read about in this blog are neices/nephews and my cat. (Okay, Pinky is not a child....but don't tell her!)