My Birthday, December 1 Daily Reflection

My Birthday Gift from my husband

That is my Birthday gift from my husband Aaron, he brought it home on Wednesday, November 25th.  He has given me one clue: It is an idea I came up with in the past year.  In order to understand the magnitude of the guessing game I play with my husband over my birthday gift each year I must take you back 15 years….

We had been dating for almost a year and he had no idea how much I loved to guess gifts.  My Dad was always a great guesser, I always wanted to be like my Dad and seeing that it was a fun game to play with the giver I naturally did the same.  My Dad was a great guesser because growing up in my family you would ask for a few things and would receive one.  Because you knew what you asked for it was simple to go through the process of elimination and figure out the gift in hand. 

Well, as I said Aaron had no clue about my past in guessing, we had not gone through Christmas or any type of gift exchange as of yet.  It was nearing my birthday and he had told me he had went shopping for the perfect gift.  Then he said the words that would forever haunt him “Lori, You will NEVER guess what I got you.”  He threw down the gauntlet and suddenly it was no longer a game but more of a quest, of course he had no idea I would feel that way.  My only clue was it includes some of your favorite things. He told me this while riding in the car with my best friend Angie.  He got out of the car and went in a store. 

Angie said to me, ” Do you think he bought you some type of jewelry?” To which I replied, “I hope not, it’s way too soon for that!”  Then I said, “Maybe a jewelry box.  No it can’t be that he has actually seen my jewelry box before. Maybe it is a music box.  Oh my gosh it is a music box that plays the rose, that is my favorite song and he knows it.  That just has to be it!”

Aaron climbed back into the car and I said, ” I figured it out, I know what the gift is.”  His response of course was simply, ” No you didn’t.”  I proceeded to tell him, “It is a music box that plays the rose and it may have a rose on it somewhere.”  He was in complete shock and laughingly said, “NO It’s not!”  Well, of course that is exactly what it was.  I treasure my music box. My first gift from Aaron. 

Over the years I have guessed, tickets to Phantom of the Opera, Precious Moments figurines, places we have gone, the night he was going to propose and many other special gifts.  He has come to enjoy the challenge and now realizes that what I derive the most pleasure from is the game of guessing, the anticipation and just trying to figure out what he is thinking.  Truth be told actually holding the gift after it has been opened is the saddest part to me because it means it’s over.  So right now I have one hint and I am racking my brain trying to figure out the size, the weight, all the ideas I have voiced to him in the past year and what his perspective on what I want is at this moment in time.

The box unopened, not revealed with little knowledge of what is inside, I treasure it this way. So how do you do it on your birthday?  Do you rip straight into the gift without guessing?  Do you want a clue?  Do you care at all about the game or do you just treasure the fact the someone is giving you something?  

 Maybe that is why I treasure life so much, I don’t want all the answers, I just like the clues and hints that God gives me daily.  I know with Faith that He is right here with me. I anticipate the time in which I will merge into one with Him.  But I am so content and happy where I am just wondering and guessing.  I don’t want to open the gift of the after life just yet. I want to enjoy the guessing game and leave the gift all wrapped up until the time is right.