The Mother’s Day Gift ...

My second husband and I, were married June 23, 1989. He and I both shared the same love language of “gifts“.

We each gave gifts for the most part that could also be considered “acts of service”.

Most of the times our gifts to one another were very practical. Other times they could be eccentric.

I remember for our second anniversary he had given me a bonsai tree and then for Valentine’s Day one year he gave me a patchwork leather jacket that I had had my eye on for quite some time. Those were special to me.

Some of our favorite gifts to one another were our spontaneous trips, whether they were weekend getaways for the two of us or with our children.

Even though we were never in competition with one another, we did jokingly tease about the both of us trying to “out do” the other.

Mother’s Day of 1998 was approaching. He had become giggly, playful and just so extremely excited that I knew something was up. Then, the Friday before Mother’s Day he picked me up from work and drove me across town. He told me that he had something very special for me for Mother’s Day and there was absolutely no way that I could out do that!

When we pulled up to our destination I could not believe my eyes. It was a pontoon boat. It was my pontoon boat. He knew I loved the water… (but so did he). He had included the coolers, the lifejackets and a grill for the front of the boat.

This was something that our whole family enjoyed every weekend and sometimes during the week. We took our families and our friends on boat rides and it just became a part of our way of life.

He certainly spoiled me in the giftgiving department, but never to the point that I was unappreciative or always expected something.

He was a good “gift giver“ but the absolute best gift he had ever given was the gift of himself. He was a good father and a good husband. His time with us was always cherished and will never be forgotten.

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