A recurring (and recurring and recurring) conversation that we (Gene & I) have is the difference of our families.  Really they are just so different.  Can you identify with this?

For instance, food is important to my family, but it’s more of an afterthought to Gene’s family.

 During Christmas this year, Gene’s family went Christmas Caroling together.  My family would refuse to attempt anything of that sort.

The Mullets would sniff at perpetual lateness.  Eshs are guilty of it.
The Eshs would sniff at being interested in pop culture and movies.  Mullets are guilty.

Esh vs Mullet

On Eating out:

Esh Conversation:
Where did you go?
Red Lobster

Mullet Conversation:
Where did you go?
Red Lobster
What did you get?
The Cod
Was it good?
It was dry, so I wish I would have gotten the mahi-mahi, which is usually suburb.  Next time I think I’ll ask them to braise it.

 

Conversation at the 6:00 meeting time:
Esh:
Person #1 Not everybody is here yet, I’m going to go get gas, the rest of you can catch up to me.
Person #2 Since he left already, I’m needing my charger, so I’m going to run and get it.
Person #3 Can I catch a ride with you while you go get your charger, than you can drop me off at the grocery store, which is by the gas station, then I will run over to the gas station and catch up with the rest of you later.  
Person #4 Ok, CHANGE OF PLANS!!, everybody meet at the grocery store in a half an hour.
Person #5 NO, why the grocery store?  We need to meet at the Gas Station in a half an hour.
(1hr later and half the people are at the gas station and the other half are at the grocery store)

Mullet:
(There is no conversation, because everybody already left at 5:55)

On Grilling:
Esh:
Person #1 The burgers are done

Mullet:
Person#1 Do you have a stop watch? It says to flash-fry for only 30 seconds per side.
Person #2 Yes, I have a stop watch, “quick flip it!”
Person#1 Oh no, the smoker is cooling down, what we need is some air movement, Go get a hair dryer, we need to heat this baby up.
Person#3 Got the hairdryer running, it’s just what we need. Just 3.5 seconds until you need to flip the steaks.
(^^^That is not even hypothetical, it actually happened.  A bunch of men hovering over a smoker with a stopwatch, and a hairdryer)

 

On Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling
Esh:
No need to call the repair man. I think I have some fan belts from 1976 in the garage.
Mullet:
I have color-coded recycling bins in my garage with for cans, bottles, and boxes.

On Beverages:
Esh
Person #1 I’m thirsty
Person #2 Here’s water.

Mullet
Person #1 I’m thirsty
Person #2 Would you like Coke, Diet Coke, Diet Caffeine Free Coke, Sprite, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, Diet Rootbear, Sparkling water, Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Grape Juice, Acai-Cran juice or Water?

Boy, poking fun at our families is awfully enjoyable.  There are ways that they’re similar but those aren’t fun to talk about.    There is much more that could be written about what makes them great.   What’s really neat is that we can take the quirks, the cool traits, the weird oddities, and make our very own brand of Esh-Mullet for our own family.

When Gene and I were married there was one thing I made him promise he would not do at our wedding.  It was always my pet-peeve when the newly married husband would make some absurd, wild claim that the girl he married was “The best” in the universe.  I mean, it doesn’t make any sense.  How can one person be “the best”?  Sure, maybe a good match for him, I can take that, but no cockiness that says:  “Hey you loser slacker guys out there, you might as well give it up since I have found the hidden prize that you can’t seem to find”.  Long story short that was one thing I asked Gene:  Please do not say anything along the lines of:  “Hey guys, the best one is now taken!” 

So I’m not about to make a wild claim that Gene is the best man in the whole wide world.  That’s just stupid.  There are a lot of areas that one could question our compatibility.  We’re both babies of the family so, we both like to be spoiled and think the other one owes it to us to start with the spoiling already.  But there is one area that I think I have possibly found the perfect match.

Simply stated:   Gracious leader.

He makes the money.  He lets me spend it.

That’s not all.  He is just so so so un-controlling. (Sorry, I can’t think of a better descriptive word)  I cannot remember the last time I’ve come home from shopping and he asked me how much something cost. 

If I would say one day: “I spent $400.00 getting a tattoo today” he would probably blink and say “Well, as long as nobody can see it”.  (That might be a stretch, since he whipped the Little Mermaid stickers off Elena’s bike in one hurry.)

He lets me be myself, which is such a huge relief, and doesn’t try to fashion me into some kind of cookie-cutter Mennonite house wife.

You could think with all the non-accountability I have that I would run crazy, buying here and spending there, and getting wild tattoos.  It tends to work opposite.  I value his work much more if he trusts me to make decisions about the money he worked for.

It’s not just financial either.  I see it in how he relates to others as well.  He always chooses to trust others until they prove otherwise.  And I love that about him.

I remember talking to two ladies a while back, and they were talking about how their husbands managed their finances.  They both mentioned how their husbands poured over the receipts when they got home from a shopping trip, and asked over and over how much stuff cost.  Both of these ladies expressed how glad they were that they had married such frugal men.  I remember thinking:  Oh my word, I cannot relate.   Just because those men look at receipts doesn’t make them control freaks, but for me, Gene’s good natured personality is The Best.  I would not trade it for the world.  Or for a round trip vacation to Cancun, or for unlimited supply of Taco bell’s Chalupas.  Both of which would make nice gifts.

Nope, I’ll keep the best thing for me, the un-controlling leader.

 

And now I’ll leave you with some pictures of Brandt’s latest projects.  His motto is:  My House, The Giant Coloring Book. 

The Door 

The Shower

 

 

 The Chair

Not too bad for one day, huh?