Tough Questions

Well, our weekend getaway was fun. We took care of the business, went bowling, ate out a couple times, watched a few movies at the hotel, and worked on our Retreat Checklist. This last part was what my husband dreaded.

Question 1: What did we like about this past year?
Question 2: What did we dislike about this past year?
Question 3: What can we do to help our children in their growth - spiritual, mental, etc.?

And a few more. We had some very good discussions, although it took me some time to get him warmed up to some of the subjects. We were able to talk about a few strageties we need to work on and a few habits - in me, in him and in the kids -that we need to put an end to. All in all, it was a great couple days.

Then, at about 4 pm the day after we got home, he asked me the toughest question of all: "What's for dinner?"

Hunny and I are going away for a couple days this week. We're mixing business with pleasure. The kids will be staying at friends', while we enjoy a three-star hotel in Anchorage. After I deal with our oldest son's Social Security issues, we will be attending the Home Show where Hunny will observe the latest and greatest in Alaskan building options.

Other than that we have two days to ourselves. He is not completely looking forward to it because I recently read an article about the annual retreat, and there was a list of things for a couple to discuss while enjoying their uninterrrupted time. I think I've scared him :)

Ah, well, he'll get over it. As long as I keep the "uninterrupted" conversation from interrupting his channel surfing time, we should be good. HaHa!

Make your own Darn Sandwich

Hubby and I had a wakeup call this weekend.

My husband is a hard worker. All day every day, week after week, year after year, he busts his butt to provide for his family. In blinding snow, cutting wind, chilling rain, blazing sun, the man builds houses for other people so that he can provide a home for us.

So, this weekend, he was off for two days. Now let me say, when my hunny gets a chance to relax, he does it right. No such thing as a half way job - even when it comes to being lazy for a change. On Saturday, he was in full lazy guy mode, watching "Dukes of Hazard" on DVD and goofing off with his kids. At about two pm, he got off the couch long enough to come into my kitchen.

In the kitchen, I was cleaning up from feeding the kids lunch a couple hours earlier and making two kinds of cookies - one for my family and one for church.

Hubby walked into the kitchen and said, "Do you have anything for lunch?" I replied, "There's ham and cheese in the fridge, here's the bread." He laid it on the counter and said, "Nah, I'm not really that hungry." I was furious. "You're willing to pull me away from what I'm doing, but if it means lifting a finger yourself, you're not hungry?!!"

He ended up making a sandwich and eating it, but I think it was out of guilt not hunger.

So, his wakeup call was that he had two hands, and he was completely capable of doing it himself. He realized he was inconsiderate of what was going on with me. He admitted later, "I was a jerk."

My wakeup call was this ( hold on, all you women's libbers): I am my husband's servant, just as he is mine. I have been trying to keep my focus on the fact that my purpose in life, in part, is to please my husband. So, I was in the middle of making these great brownies he likes when he asks me to make a ham sandwich. Aren't the brownies enough? The answer, of course, was "no." By ignoring the loving he needed right now, I cancelled out the love he was going to feel later when he ate the brownies. So, we apologized to each other.

Then, Sunday, the guys were telling their new favorite joke: "How many men does it take to pour a glass of milk? None, the glass should be full when she hands it to me." (Our guys aren't really like that)

So, the joke in our house is: How many guys does it take to make a ham sandwich?