Yikes! July 5th…

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Thursday is Gene’s Birthday.  Usually men complain about not knowing what to buy their wives for their birthday, but this time it’s the women. I have no idea.  Actually I have plenty of ideas, but nothing that grabs me and says “Pick me, pick me”.

Clothes mean nothing to him.  I mean nothing.  I wish they would mean more to him, and that he would develop his own sense of style and likes and dislikes instead of clothes that say, “Hey my wife found this for 50% off at Sears.”  I buy him clothes anyway, so that’s an automatic no.

I thought of getting tickets to a Casting Crowns concert, because he really likes Casting Crowns.  But that seems like I’m cheating, because I really like them too, and it would be like a little present to myself.  So I put that idea hold.

For Valentines day I had this dilemma too, so I decided to be all frugal and gave him a book of hand made coupons with little acts of service on them.  Like:  “I will sweep and clean your work truck until it shines.”.  He has never redeemed a single coupon yet.  I think the bottom line is he pities me to badly to make me do the stuff I said I would do.

What does he want?  These are the items he’s mentioned when we talked about birthday gifts.  “You can buy me a tractor.”  (Loud Laughter)   “I need a welder” (Ok I have no idea how I would pick out a welder for him, and what’s a welder anyway?)  “When you need to buy me a birthday gift, get me a milker.  In September I’m going to need it.” (Oh, that should be fun, the birthday gift dreams are made of, and, like the above, how in the hairy to I pick out a milker?  Where do you go to buy one?  Should I install a small parlor too?)

So I’m taking all suggestions.  What should I buy for Gene? He loves farming, loves people, loves traveling, enjoys an occasional golf game, he’s not a reader, he’s fashion illiterate, and a hard worker, and really deserves a good gift because he’s a really great guy.

.Reading time 4 minutes.

 Gene paid me an unusual compliment yesterday.  “Hey you’re keeping your flowers alive this year”, he said.  It made me feel good, because it’s true:  I have zero green thumbs.  And yes, my flowers are alive, not thriving, but alive, and that’s what counts in my book.  Of the three rows of carrots I planted, one survived. Not one row, one carrot.  I’m not sure if I should pamper it or pull it out.  I’m on round number two with pepper plants because the original ones didn’t make it.  I have three half rows of green beans instead of the three full rows I planted.  On the upside, I have three healthy looking squash plants and that’s funny since I didn’t plant any squash.  Oh well.  I’m not sure why I torture myself this way.  I guess the reason is when I’m finally done and have my green beans in the freezer, I can think, “boy I feel like a virtuous woman”.

 Speaking of virtuous women, I was reminded yesterday during church of the Proverbs 31 women.  So I took a little peek at her.  And I was reminded again of my love/hate relationship with her.  I wonder why so much attention is given to the things she does instead of her heart.  I wonder since she’s so busy does she have time for her children?  I wonder if it ticks her off that her husband can bum around at the gate while she’s out buying fields.  I guess most of all she intrigues me, because I’m not sure if she exists.    On the other hand, I would definitely recommend a woman like that to my son too.  Now before you get all worked up about my warped view of her, I’ll say this: She is an inspiration to me, and she’s a frustration to me.  I’m actually learning to have a little more faith because of her.  Faith that there is a good reason God let her in the Bible, not just to tick me off or make me feel like a failure, something more.  And in case you’re wondering, yes, I have had this fixation on her for quite a while now. I keep thinking I need to do an in-depth study on her to put it to rest once and for all.

End with some pictures of my kids.  Seriously I never knew I had such strong maternal genes.  Sometimes I love my kids so much my heart feels like it will explode.  Other times, oh well, we won’t go there.  I guess today is one of those days I look at my little boy and girl and “I want to squish you guys to pieces!”.

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This is what she does all day: Plays with the kittens. And yes, she gets filthy.

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This is what he does all day: Rolls around in his walker. He loooves it.

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I love this picture, they’re both cracking up.

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I had to add this one, because she is wearing

my old dress.  Her little mind can almost not

comprehend that I once fit into that dress, she

thinks it’s too cool!

So long, see you next month!