Validation

I admit I'm a lazy pet owner.  I never want a dog of my own because they take way more energy than I'm willing to give.  One time I had this goldfish for a year.  I hardly ever cleaned the tank and forgot to feed it all time time and yet it hung on admirably.  I'll probably have to answer for it's life someday.

I did enjoy having cats.  Most of my life my family had at least one outdoor cat at any given time and they were great because all you had to do for maintenance is put out food and water.  Unfortunately, sometimes their life expectancy was akin to the goldfish, but sometimes we had a rock star that stuck around for half a dozen years (three cheers Tiger).  "My" current cat has been with the family 8 years now, but I attribute her longevity to indoor life and my mother's care so I don't really get credit for anything but picking her out at the Humane Society for my 18th birthday.

Because of my lazy pet-owning history, sometimes I fear I shouldn't be a parent.  I felt like I should try out some other kind of nurturing to boost my confidence.  Some people get a dog as their "starter" child.  I decided on a houseplant.  I expressed this to my husband so one day he came home from the grocery store with a primrose.  I was excited and a little nervous and read up on the care of indoor primroses and planned to buy a little pot and soil to give it a better situation.  A day later I put it near a window out of directly sunlight as instructed.  Unfortunately, by the time we got home the sun shifted and the poor thing was toast.   I had it for literally 2 days and killed it.  I felt like a terrible human and a doomed pro-creator.

Since this failure had the opposite effect on my confidence that I needed, I impulsively picked up a half-dead basil plant at the grocery store to start anew.  Husband was a little wary, given my history and the initial state of the organism, but he supported my efforts.  I cut it back and nurtured the living parts and I'm proud to relate that I've not only kept it alive, but it's actually thriving .  I finally procured a larger container and a friend donated some potting soil so I could upgrade its habitat. I've used bits of basil to make tomato basil soup this spring and it turned out great.

Ok, I realize that raising basil is not super hard, and it doesn't exactly disprove that I'm a lazy nurturer.  But it's baby steps to... well, baby steps. Today it's basil, tomorrow... still basil.  But someday?  The world.

I don't even know why we like each other #1-3

Do you ever look at your spouse, or friend, or cousin, parent, etc, and think "I don't even know why we like each other?"

You realize differences are not complimentary.  Opinions are not comprehensible.  Tastes absolutely do not match.  And yet you still think that person is just the greatest thing ever.

Sometimes my husband and I have these moments.

1. He doesn't like jello, oranges, or sour cream.  Ok, he's allergic to the sour cream, but hello-- who doesn't like oranges??  (to be fair, he opposes the texture, not the taste)
2. He LOVES spicy food.   Things that I can hardly handle as too hot he thinks are slightly flavorful. Wasabi, Fred's hot sauce, horseradish.... it's all wonderful to him.  Please just pass me a potato with butter.
3. He thinks skydiving is thrilling. Just thinking of free fall makes me sick to my stomach.

We've figured out that we still like each other because for the things that matter most, we're perfect for each other.  We keep important things important, and everything else can be crazy and weird.  The things that matter most are worth enduring what doesn't matter at all.

No Foolin' Here

Exactly one year ago my husband sent me to his kitchen to get an apple out of the fridge.   A minute later he was on his knee in that tiny kitchen asking me to marry him and he was not joking.

Of course, I said yes.  Or maybe I said "of course".  Same difference.  We're married.

It actually never crossed my mind that he was joking.  (I forgot it was April 1 till later when a few family members texted me after we spoke to make sure it was real and I had to assure them I was serious.)

I realize this is every Facebook jokester's dream, y'know actually getting engaged and announcing it on April Fool's Day because nobody will believe you and then the joke's is still on them.  But I have too much respect for my close friends and family to take advantage of this golden opportunity.  I'm also a terrible liar.

But seriously, it really means a lot to me to personally tell my own good news, and let others personally tell me their good news.  Those closest to me know they must call me to tell me important news or I will pout.  Three have called in the middle of the night to tell me their engaged.  My sister rustled me out of bed to tell me she was engaged.  My brother called me in the middle of the night to tell me I was going to be an aunt.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

After we got engaged I systematically called my mom, dad, siblings, Grandma, various other relatives, and best friends in turn.  Since there are a lot of them, it took a while.  When I couldn't get to everyone, I let the rest of my family spread the news too.  Sorry if I didn't get to you.

I actually didn't ever get around to putting it on Facebook though I did blog about it about a month later and casually referred to it occasionally.  Sometimes I almost regret not capitalizing on the opportunity for such a good joke, but then I remember were so many other things going on at this time last year that were more important than making a joke that I no longer feel bad.

In conclusion, I'm glad it was no joke.