I have a good husband. On most days he meets expectations and occasionally he will exceed expectations. Of course, there are those days where, you know, he just doesn't come near the ball park of where expectations sit. Today was not one of those days. He likes to try and surprise me at Christmas. He is good in the gift giving area, birthday, anniversary, and Mother's day. Like most men he is a work in progress and hasn't always been praise worthy in this area. The first year we were together he didn't acknowledge my birthday because he just didn't think it was necessary. That never happened again. The Mother's Day that followed me giving birth to his second child went unnoticed. That never happened again.
I rarely surprise Randy. I try each year to find him a gift that will blow him away. Either he guesses it (I'm a terrible liar) or he finds it or I just can't think of anything good. I only remember surprising him, really surprising him once in 15 years of marriage. It was with a leather jacket many years ago when leather jackets were way cool and more money than we should be spending based on our income. This Christmas I had quite the performance going on.
Today, I went out to get the mail like I do nearly everyday. I found a box with a return address listed as Lisa Leonard. SCORE! Lisa Leonard creates jewelry pieces that are one of a kind. I sent Randy her website with the piece I wanted at least two months ago. He pretended a week or so ago that he forgot all about it. See, he thinks that I think he is like those husbands you hear about who buys their wife a set of hair rollers (sorry Michele - I couldn't resist). I knew he would probably get me the one of a kind necklace. I would have been surprised if he had not bought it. It is the just-right-amount-of-fluff robe I know that he won't buy. I know him very well. I smiled and thought what do I do now. Do I put it outside the door and pretend I didn't see it? I can't leave my one of a kind necklace on the front step. Oh, the places I could wear it! So, I confess that I saw a box with Lisa Leonard on the return label. He is very upset thinking he ruined my surprise. If he were a woman he would have went out and checked the mail everyday or checked the tracking on the purchase so he'd know the exact day it was coming but no, he is just a man. So, Santa came early for me today.
Isn't it lovely?!
Since Randy was soooo upset that my surprise was (wink) ruined he thought he should get a present early too. My big surprise has been driving me crazy with the desire to give it to him so I caved and gave him his big surprise. Last month Ray, my brother-in-law and Randy's friend was about to call him and tell him of a heck of a deal on a 28" monitor for his computer. This to me is excessive and unnecessary but to a man it is the perfect gift. So, I bought one for Randy. It arrived two days later (much sooner than I expected or planned). But, I knew exactly when it was to arrive due to email notification so I had to come up with a good story quick. It was arriving on a day Randy was for sure going to be home. It arrived in the original packaging, no big brown box. I told Randy that Donna had bought it for Ray and wanted it shipped to our house. He bought my story and walked past it over and over throughout the night itching to open it. He couldn't believe I would not tell him about this hot buy so he could have one. He said, "You know every time I go into Best Buy I walk by the monitors." That was only step one into the deception. Randy had poker night two days later. I knew Ray would want to talk up this awesome monitor he too purchased for home AND work. Ray agreed to go along with the story. Since Ray's birthday is in Dec. we said Donna gave it to Ray early so Ray could talk about it at poker night. Randy was shocked when I gave it to him. Randy's shocked face, happy face, sad face and mad face all look the same so I kept asking, "Are you really surprised?" He insisted he was.
What was the point of this rambling anyway? I don't know. I'm just so happy about my Lisa Leonard necklace. I'm just so happy that I truly surprised Randy.
Christmas is so not about getting or giving gifts but I do love to give gifts. If I had all the money in the world I would shower everyone I know with gifts. Christmas is really about celebrating Jesus and to me, it is a reminder to be thankful for what we have and to give to others by any means you may have. More on that at a later time. I've been eager to share with you a child we are sponsoring through Compassion International but that deserves its own blog post.
For now, I will wish everyone Happy Holidays (for any holiday you may be celebrating) and I hope Santa brings you something you don't need but would love to have.
