Always bring the flowers!

There was wailing, and screaming, tears and sometimes even biting!  All this and it wasn't even 10am yet!  It was going to be a very long day.  I had dared to venture into the realm of running a daycare center in my home!  At least there was 'quiet time' in the near future...which was simply turning on Sesame Street and fixing a snack.  It was LAW...you would sit and watch, and eat your snack!  It was the only time I could go potty myself - without witnesses!  Now most days did not start out quite this crazy...most were routine and fun, and I enjoyed what I did.  This was not one of those days!


At the time, our own children were evenly distributed in grade school, Junior High and High School...one in each.  Around 3pm each day they would start back in our door and again, 'most days' that would be a huge help to me!  They would do their homework, get something to eat, and pick up a baby or toddler and join in the fun.  This was not one of those days either!  This day, my own kids were fighting and life had gone terribly wrong at school, and I "did not understand"!  For my part, the day was a total loss: there was no chocolate in the house!

In an attempt to keep my sanity throughout 'that day', I called my husband for some adult conversation.  By late afternoon I just looked forward to him walking through the door and to me having back-up!  When he arrived, I happened to be in the bathroom with a couple of little people in training, hands full and an insane look on my face (I imagine).  Now at this point you probably think that Dale arrived in full stride, hands on hips, with a cape flowing behind him.  Perhaps you think I swooned at the sight of him and fell into his arms and we passionately kissed.  You would be very, very wrong!

My loving, kind and thoughtful husband quietly stood before me, and said... "I was going to buy you flowers on my way home, but I figured if you had that bad of a day they wouldn't help - and if you didn't, you wouldn't need them."  Ladies...this is not an exaggeration and Men...this is not a suggestion.  I'm not sure how long I stared at him in that moment, but all I could think to say was, "thanks, I guess."

We have laughed about that moment for years now!  He did explain himself later that night; he felt he should come straight home and not stop for flowers, since he knew I'd had a bad day.  There will be 'those days', and nothing can substitute for a kind spoken word, or a gentle touch when we're going through them.  But guys...always bring the flowers!  I still pick up the phone during 'those days' and talk to my husband, or a friend, or other family members.  I'm most thankful though, that I don't even need a cell phone to talk to God.  He is always available, totally interested in what kind of day I'm having, and ready with flowers - whether I need them or not!