Today is my wife’s birthday. And because she is my “Happily Ever After”, I took the day off work today to do whatever she wanted me to do.
Did we go shopping? No.
Did she want me to take her on a day trip somewhere? No.
Did she want to laze around the pool and have me bring her cool drinks and fan her with a palm leaf? No.
What she wanted was for me to tackle something on her honey-do list — clean the garage. I didn’t put up much of a fuss because the garage is my domain and I thought it would be cool to hang in the garage all day and get it straightened out.
Boy did I get a surprise when she clarified that she wanted me to CLEAN the garage. That meant sweeping, wiping down the walls of the cobwebs, cleaning the windows (including the channels where flies, wasps and other flying insects go to die), as well as throwing stuff away and organizing.
It would have been easier if I had gone to work today!
So I arose at 5:30am, took her and the family to breakfast, and have been eagerly at it in detail since then. It is slow going but I think I really impressed her. She returned from the grocery store and said “Now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about!”.
Luckily, we are breaking early for “linner” (the flip side of brunch) to go to her favorite place — Cheesecake Factory.
And while I have been out in the garage, I have been streaming miscellaneous country music from one of my favorite artists, Brad Paisley. The song below came on and I recite the lyrics in tribute to my wife on her birthday.
Brad Paisley
“She’s Everything”
She’s a yellow pair of running shoes
A holey pair of jeans
She looks great in cheap sunglasses
She looks great in anything
She’s I want a piece of chocolate
Take me to a movie
She’s I can’t find a thing to wear
Now and then she’s moody
She’s a Saturn with a sunroof
With her brown hair a-blowing
She’s a soft place to land
And a good feeling knowing
She’s a warm conversation
That I wouldn’t miss for nothing
She’s a fighter when she’s mad
And she’s a lover when she’s loving
[Chorus]
And she’s everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
I talk about her, I go on and on and on
‘Cause she’s everything to me
She’s a Saturday out on the town
And a church girl on Sunday
She’s a cross around her neck
And a cuss word ’cause its Monday
She’s a bubble bath and candles
Baby come and kiss me
She’s a one glass of wine
And she’s feeling kinda tipsy
She’s the giver I wish I could be
And the stealer of the covers
She’s a picture in my wallet
Of my unborn children’s mother
She’s the hand that I’m holding
When I’m on my knees and praying
She’s the answer to my prayer
And she’s the song that I’m playing
[Repeat chorus]
She’s the voice I love to hear
Someday when I’m ninety
She’s that wooden rocking chair
I want rocking right beside me
Everyday that passes
I only love her more
Yeah, she’s the one
That I’d lay down my own life for
And she’s everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She’s everything to me
Yeah she’s everything to me
Everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She’s everything to me
Happy Birthday, my love! I love you bigger than the mountains!
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
