It's just easier if I do it myself.

Did anyone watch Desparate Housewives on Sunday?  Well there was one particular part of the episode that I related to completely.  Lynette's grown sons don't even know where she keeps the eggs, much less how to prepare them because Mom's answer is always "It's just easier if I do it myself".  For anyone who doesn't speak "mommy" that translates to I want to take care of my children and keep them little as long as possible.  We (maybe I should say "I") like to feel needed because one of these days our little ones will leave the nest.  I get teared up just thinking about it.

Jackson talks about growing up all the time.  He has it all worked out.  He is going to live in California (this changes depending on the day) and Mommy and Daddy are invited over every Sunday for pancakes.  Pancakes are our family breakfast most Sundays.  Sometimes he is going to live next door to me and connect our houses with a bridge, I am sure his future wife will love this!  Sometimes he is going to live with me until I am 99.  No matter how his plans change even Jackson knows he won't be with me forever.

Lately I have been working on letting them all do things for themselves, make their own beds, clean their rooms, take their dishes to the sink, shower with minimal help from me, pick out their own clothes (this one is the hardest for me) and so on.  The big thing is learning to tie our own shoes.  Geez you would think I was asking them to climb Mt. Everest!  We whine and cry and there is a lot of "Mommy I just can't do it!!!!!!!  Pllllleeeeeaaaassssseeeee do it for me!  I will tie my own shoes when I am 15 (this is the magic age for my boys not sure why)."  So I sit and I demonstrate and then I talk them through it and then they have to try.  Man this really is easier if I just do it myself!!!!  But then what?  I end up with grown sons who can't tie their own shoes.  I stay calm and patient in the face of all the whining and I don't give into my urge to keep my babies little.  Finally results!  And we are one step closer to having a self sufficient man!  Again I have tears in my eyes!

The most romantic man in Habersham County!

A couple of weeks ago Jason informed me that the Northeast Georgian was having a contest.  In 300 words or less women would write about why their husband/boyfriend was the most romantic man in Habersham!  I laughed it off thinking he was just being silly.  He mentioned it again and then again, I starting to think he might be serious about this.  Then the icing on the cake, he sent me the link to the contest!  My first response was "Honey you aren't what most women would think of as romantic."  His reply:  "WHAT????  You must be crazy!"  My second thought, I am a horrible writer!  He could be the world's most romantic man, he could a world renowned author writing on the topic of romance and I wouldn't be able to convey to the world why he was romantic.  But for my husband, who I love 4 (it's an inside joke), I entered this contest and I did my best!  And here is my entry:

Why is my husband the most romantic man?  There are a million reasons that I love him and just as many little things he does that mean we belong together.   My husband is not a man for the huge romantic gesture.  He is more a man of timing the small things perfectly.  When I am sad he makes me rootbeer floats because they always cheer me up.  He plans a getaway for just the two of us once a year because he still enjoys spending time with his wife.  He puts time and thought into every gift. He knows me so well he buys me the things that I never knew I always wanted.  When we argue he tells me he is "going to be married to me for the rest of his life" so it is important to talk until we figure out the problem and come to an agreement on how to fix it.  We have been married for almost 13 years and I cannot express how much that simple sentence means to me "I am going to be married to you for the rest of my life".  In a world that takes marriage too lightly he is still pleading his undying love to me.  I am going to love you forever.  He chose me to be his wife and to share his life with and he chooses me everyday and that is what makes him the most romantic guy around.

So do you think I have a chance?  You know what it doesn't matter if I win the dinner at the Attic.  I am happily married to a man that was hand picked for me.  I am more blessed than I ever would have imagined, so whether I am having dinner at the Attic as a contest winner or having sandwiches at home I won!