Let's start with this: last night I returned home tired at 8:30 PM with kids in the car and walked in to our playroom to find a big shiny new car (complete with ribbon and loving "Happy Birthday" sign on the window) stuffed in the room waiting for me from my husband. A NEW MINIVAN! I know this may not seem like a hot and steamy gift to many of you, but for me, this was a major life event and also evidence of how sweet my life with my boys really is.
There are a few things one always hopes will happen to one during one's lifetime. One of mine, ever since I was sixteen and could drive, was to be given, as a complete surprise, a brand new car with a big bow on it, for my birthday. There is just something about all those car commercials where the wife or daughter wakes up on Christmas morning to look out the window and find a new vehicle in the driveway that made me want one. Also, I've never really had a brand new nice car. And certainly, I've never had leather seats (now I do!). For me, a car has always felt like the ultimate surprise gift. And yes, I realize most folks would want that one lifetime surprise vehicle gift to be a bright red Porche, or at least a trendy SUV. But for me - as all my friends know - the auto-open side doors and extra space for friends is what I've coveted ever since we had kids. And the desire to please me so deeply with such a grand surprise is what I've always most loved seeing evidence of, from my husband. Make no mistake, he pleases me daily (get your mind out of the gutter - seriously - I'm talking about kindness and helpfulness), but he does not, shall we say, lean toward grand surprises. I'm still shocked he went out and spent money on a car for me when my old car has not yet died a slow and painful death. But he did. He spent a lot of money when it didn't need to be spent. He spent it just to please me in a big and boundless way, and I know that hurt him a little bit (signing those papers had to be painful).
But the joy on his face, which spread across my two sons' faces as they saw how thoroughly their daddy had pleased their mommy (B ran off to get something - a New Yorker from the counter - he could "surprise" me with too and handed it to me with a great gifting flourish, and W couldn't stop hugging me and saying "Happy Birthday Mommy" as if the car was his doing even though he'd had no idea of the surprise before he saw it last night), was just something...I never want to let go of. Not only does my husband love me--he still wants to thrill me and cares how much I appreciate the gifts of his time and effort. There is no gift (aside from maybe some pink fuzzy dice to hang from my new rear view mirror), that I can imagine wanting or appreciating more than this evidence that my family truly finds pleasure in seeing me happy.
I'm off to drive the kids to school!
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