Flowers

Or…maybe just buy flowers and other gifts, shamelessly lie, and go to great lengths to pretend they are all from a wooing admirer, like Psycho did. Okay, I couldn’t resist. I still can’t believe she thought that preposterous ruse would actually work, or that she is so worried about what other people think that she planned that stunt for over a month.

When you fill your days with lying, manipulating, and using others, it’s not much of surprise that the number of people willing to spend time with you rapidly dwindles. When you are equally as distasteful and undesirable on the inside as you are on the outside, what should you really expect? It’s no one’s fault but hers.

But aside from that pitiable comedy side show, I really like this quote. I don’t believe relationships of any kind can work if you are looking to someone else to bring you happiness, peace, adventure, or anything else that is missing in your life. Planting, tending to, and thriving in your own garden is a non-negotiable step before even attempting to develop or maintain any relationship. No one can make you happy if you are incapable of being truly happy on your own.

If you are an insufferable asshole on your own, guess what? You’re going to be an insufferable asshole in a relationship. Pretty simple concept, but so many people are unwilling to hang out with themselves, really examine themselves, and work on themselves. It’s always a rush to the next relationship to feel vindicated or validated or prove they are attractive, but it’s just immature and selfish to expect someone else to clean up the mess in yourself that you don’t even want to touch yourself.

One reason that my husband and I get along as well as we do and have such a strong marriage is that neither of us is timid about being on our own, doing things on our own, or taking care of ourselves. We would both rather be alone than with someone who is not adding something positive to our lives. We are together because we genuinely want to be with each other, not because we simply can’t stand being single. We want each other in our lives, and that makes a huge difference.

A friend of mine commented recently that my husband and I act like we are still dating, not married. I told her we had to battle like hell to be together, combating a toxic and jealous person who couldn’t stand to see him so happy with someone else. When you have to fight to be together, you appreciate your relationship and your love even more.

So in a way, the bitch did us a favor. While attempting to destroy our love, she only bolstered and solidified it. She helped to forge it in steel and drive us closer together. It’s a bit amusing, really: the only relationship success she has ever experienced is her woefully failed, backfired attempt to sabotage someone else’s.

Spring

Oh, I love this quote, for so many different reasons. It’s warming up here (too warm already, if you ask me), and we are heading into a short-lived spring before the oppressive and stifling heat of summer suffocates us. (Can you tell I don’t like summer?)

But spring…that is a different story. I love gardening, and I am itching to dive into the dirt, plant flowers, stroll around the yard and talk to plants and ooh and ahh over every new bud and each tiny, green, unfolding leaf. I am ready to wander around garden centers and spend way too much money. I am ready to spend my weekends in the yard, digging, trimming, planting, loving.

I also like this quote because my own winter involved the crushing difficulty of dealing with my mother’s death. I would never say “well, I’m over that now”, because I know it will hurt on some level forever, and I will always miss her. That’s the price of love, I suppose. But I am able to think of her and smile at a memory sometimes instead of instantly crying. So this spring is personal for me, a reawakening of my own, a spiritual and emotional one. A reblooming after crumbling. Rising again after collapsing.

I am ready for spring. I am ready for changes. I am ready for growth and love and hope. It’s time for winter to end and for me to find the sunlight again.

Baby Shower

I was so nervous on Friday morning, hoping I hadn’t forgotten anything for my friend’s baby shower. I decided to throw it at work, which added an extra layer of complication: trying to bring in presents, stash diapers, and decorate without her seeing any of it!

I decorated the room with help from some co-workers, and I placed the pink diaper bouquet in the center of the table. I was worried it would turn out goofy looking, but so many people asked me where I got it and said it was so cool. We spread out the food, cupcakes, little pastel candies, anything that was colorful and pretty, and arranged all the presents on a table with balloons.

When it was time to start, we asked her to come to the conference room for a quick meeting. I came in the door behind her, and everyone shouted “Surprise!” She actually froze in place, and I thought for a second she was going to cry. Then she smiled from ear to ear, and I showed her to her seat of honor at the head of the table.

When I got a chance, I asked her, “Were you really surprised?” She laughed and said yes, then said she couldn’t believe no one had said a word. I told her how long we had been planning for it, but I didn’t tell her I verged on threatening to break kneecaps if anyone mentioned it to her and ruined the surprise, ha ha.

I was so stressed about every detail, but I was finally able to relax and enjoy myself. As she opened presents, and her eyes lit up and she looked so excited, and everyone simultaneously cooed “Awwwww” at all the little baby items, I was able to smile to myself at how cozy and fun it was.

Everyone was laughing and calling out comments and enjoying themselves. It was such a far cry from the baby shower I attended in December, when everyone looked like they would rather be absolutely anywhere, and doing anything else, than being trapped in that cramped, cluttered room. I’m glad it was nothing like that.

I helped her carry gifts and cases of diapers to her car after the shower, and she was still smiling. She told me later that her mom saw the diaper bouquet and told her to use the diapers from the bouquet last, so they wouldn’t have to take it all apart, because it was so cute. That made me happy.

A co-worker came to my desk this morning to thank me for the baby shower and said that everyone had such a good time. How can you not have a good time, oohing and ahhing over tiny little baby dresses and bibs and fluffy blankets and toys?

Time to actually do some work now, I suppose. Planning a baby shower was a lot more fun though!

Satisfied

I love penguins, and I like this quote, but the truth is, I actually got a lot done yesterday and am still feeling quite satisfied about it. My husband had to work late, so it was just me and my cat for a bit when I got home yesterday. Since my husband and I were out most of the day on Valentine’s Day, I decided to get us caught up, little things that I hate to let pile up, like mopping, vacuuming, tossing a load of laundry in.

We’re not big on leaving decorations up after the holiday is over, so I went ahead and took down Valentine’s Day decorations and packed those away. I like changing things up every now and then, so I got the wrinkles out of a mantel scarf and a new tablecloth we picked out together, and I got those set up, with the roses he got me in the center of the table, and candles gently flickering on each side.

My husband was tired when he got home, but he smiled as he came through the door. He said, “Hey, that looks nice” when he saw the table, then kissed me hello. It made me happy that he liked it. In some ways, I am very old-fashioned, and having a pretty home is definitely one of them.

After dinner, I pulled out the instructions and materials for a diaper bouquet I wanted to make for a friend’s baby shower. I have been planning the shower for months, and keeping it a surprise has been difficult! How do I not tell someone that I talk to every day, about anything and everything? But so far I have not ruined the surprise, and I can’t wait to see how happy she is at the shower. (And hopefully surprised!)

The diaper bouquet isn’t perfect, but I thought it turned out really cute. I have never thrown a baby shower before, so I am a little nervous. (At least I got great ideas of what NOT to do from the lifeless shower I attended a few months ago!) I don’t think I’m forgetting anything, though. Guess I’ll find out soon.

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