...to send the very best.
My husband tells me I am fond of trinkets and treasures. Secretly, until now that is, he is too. (I am outing you Bradford!)
The evening of our "second" wedding (read: the one we had people come to), we sat on the couch and he read each and every card people had given us. He cried some, and he kept saying he was picturing each person as they stood and selected the perfect card. He thought each card, save one, was THE perfect card.
It was such a sweet time of reflecting on our day and thinking of our friends. I have to admit though, in the past cards hadn't quite moved me much before. Except for sympathy cards, I tended toward simple verses or funny cards.
So I was surprised at the importance he tied to them.
Now I know why he was so moved by those cards, because at each important personal holiday he does the most tender of things. He goes to Hallmark, and he reads each and every card until he finds THE perfect one. How do I know this? One, I'm the recipient of such cards, and two, last May I went with him when he purchased his daughter's Mother's Day card.
For some reason, he was on one side of a display, and I was on the other. I couldn't see over the wall o' cards, but after a while, I heard this gentle sob followed by an exhalation of breath from where he was standing. I said, "You found Jill's card, didn't you." He was quiet, so I walked around to his side, and with tears is his eyes and tissue in hand, he said, "Yes."
I always feel loved by him, and it was special (a different kind of Hallmark moment), to see how much he loves Jill because the card so stirred his emotion.
He has written memorable love letters to his daughter; she shared one with me the last time I was there. And he writes sweet little notes to me all the time. But in the area of choosing cards, he is Mr. Softee.
Now, when he gives me a card, I ask him if he cried when he picked it out, and he always says no. So I ask him to read it aloud to me, and his sweet tears bely his no.
I love that about him.
5 comments:
Mr. Softie...I LIKE that.
And note, I'm now friends with Bradford, as he friended me a few days back. I guess I should send you that facebook "flair":
"Are you facebooking my husband?"
:D
P.S. Can't help but notice the word verification below for this comment is: butwit
What's THAT about??? ;-)
Awww...thanks for being his friend!
I'm hoping this makes you laugh or gives you a smile. I told Mitch earlier this week that Mother's Day was Sunday and that I would be expecting him to spend it with me - at least most of it. Since I have my final on Tuesday and he has AP exams this coming week, he said, okay, we can study together. Indeed, that will be our deal. I mentioned to him today that he could consider coming to church with me on Sunday and we'd hit Bauder's afterwards for a malt. He said, Are you bribing me? I said, take it any way you'd like; it's just a thought to contemplate. He said he'd think about it : )
I remember when they were little I made Mother's Day a day of pure play. No chores whatsoever were done by any of us on that day. Food would be simple but not eating out because I'm just not into the throngs. We'd fly kites, garden a bit, play board games and croquet and badminton, rent a movie for the evening, and just thoroughly relax and have fun.
I'll never forget when Mitch made his first grade card to me for Mother's Day with the reasons he loved me and "You make pie" was the number one reason! So I've teased him as he's gotten older about the only reason he loves me is because I make pie. Never mind all the really fun camping and traveling and reading aloud and massive art projects we always had going, it was pie. So whenever I find a "pie" card, which isn't that often, I get it for him. I haven't found a graduation "pie" card though : )
It is super sweet that Brad is so thoughtful with the cards and words therein!
Happy Mother's Day!!
Today, to get back at me for this post, he made me read his last birthday card aloud to him and the anniversary card I gave him. I edit the cards, copyediting marks and all to make them most perfect!
I didn't cry, but my voice caught, so I guess I've caught his kindness. :)
There is nothing better than being friends with the man you love! Well, if there is anything better, I can't think of it right now : ) It has to be up there in the top one or two great human-kind events!
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