The Little Things

In our six plus years of marriage I can say there have been missed birthdays, missed holidays, forgotten appointments, etc. One anniversary my husband and I went to dinner only to have his pager go off in the middle of it. I desperately called my friend who lived near the hospital, and he dropped me off so that I didn't have to sit in the hospital for hours (thank you Michelle for graciously taking me in). There have been the nights with the kids when I wish more than anything I had an extra pair of hands to help me with them. So many things I could write of as inevitable short comings of the job. These come with his job's territory. Though it would be nice to occasionally have the extra help with the kids, I can manage it.  If you read last weeks post you know that it was a bit of a rough week. One morning last week my husband pulls out of his work bag this gem. It honestly is one of the best gifts I have ever received. He bought this book and added his own messages to me in it.

It made me laugh and it made me cry. It was exactly what I needed. I think my favorite page was the one in the top right corner where the author wrote, "your spirit shines through in everything you do." With the added message "especially when you are mad with me."
I can be a passionate person.

Then this week, there was a day when he actually had some time in between cases. He texted me and told me to let him know when I was leaving to go pick up our son from school. He wanted to surprise him and be there when I picked him up. Since his hospital is on the way it was an easy task. He doesn't get much time to spend with the kids and so they miss him a lot. But on that day you would have thought he hung the moon. As my son walked out of his room and saw his daddy standing there it was as if he had received the best gift in his little lifetime. After we dropped my husband back to work on our way home, all he could talk about was how daddy had surprised him and that was the greatest. And how he can surprise him like that every day. Although I had to tell him it likely wouldn't happen for a while, it didn't matter.

It's so easy to get caught up in the business of life. We forget how much the little things mean. How good it feels to receive a thoughtful gift or a kind gesture. To know that you are thought about in that one moment makes the tough days bearable; on the nights when we are having little people meltdowns in our house and I am frustrated and wish I had help. Or on the kids' birthdays when I have to send him a video of us singing happy birthday and blowing out their candle for him because he won't be home.

I'll look at my book sitting on the counter and I'll remember that he makes it count when we need him the most.