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| My Wife is Incredible |
For those of you who don't know, I have the most amazing, caring, wonderful, thoughtful, funny, INCREDIBLE wife ever. She proves it every day, but it was magnified recently when she bought me a gift for my birthday. I really don't want or expect gifts on my birthday, and truth be told I am not the best at receiving them. She says I am so easy, but I believe it is only because she knows me so well. She knows what I truly want as a 'gift'. AND she is hilarious! I'll start by showing you the card she got for me.
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| My birthday card 2025 |
I am the one who typically buys cards and sends them to people. I just love doing that. She does not particularly enjoy it. BUT she always takes the time to find me the perfect card. This year may be my most favorite card ever. It makes me laugh out loud every time I read it. It will be at my desk permanently so I can read it whenever I want.
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| She printed out the how, where, why and when of my gift. |
Her 'gift' to me this year was perfect. I have received several amazing gifts from her. It is hard to say which gift she has given me in the past is the best, but this year's gift has to be in the top 3. She knows I am not a big materialistic person. Some might think a massage table (her gift to me a few years ago) is materialistic, but to me it was more of a promise to give me a massage whenever I may need one. My life is low stress, so I don't truly need one often, but I do enjoy them. It is a gift that truly keeps on giving. Color-correcting glasses (her gift to me a few Christmases ago) could also be considered materialistic, but to me it was her showing me the beauty of the world we live in in a way I had never experienced before. And trust me, in spite of the crap happening around the world these days, it is still beautiful out there! This year's gift went above and beyond the non-materialistic approach. She did buy a few things this year, but none of the items were for me. Instead she bought them for Rocky Mountain Village in honor of me. I certainly feel honored! It brought tears to my eyes to know she knows me that well. She did research and found a wish list on the Rocky Mountain Village website. She purchased items on the list to be delivered to camp. The items were all sensory items for kids with autism who attend camp at Rocky Mountain Village. She knows kids with autism are my absolute favorite of all kids. Believe me that is saying something! I love ALL children, but kids with autism just have a special place in my heart for whatever reason. I worked at Rocky Mountain Village in the early 2000s and again in 2015. It was my favorite Easter Seals Camp job. That is also saying something, as ALL the camps I worked for in the past were joyful and powerful in their own ways. She had the pleasure of seeing Rocky Mountain Village in all of its glory when she came to volunteer for a week early in our courtship. She saw first-hand why it is my favorite, and someday I hope we can both go back and volunteer there in some capacity. Maybe we will get to enjoy the items she purchased with the kids who attend. Time will tell on that one. For now, I am in awe of her and that perception shall not change until I breath my last breath. I am certain of that. Here are a list/photos of the gifts she bought for Rocky Mountain Village.
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| First, an interactive wall panel. Rainbow of course, because she knows I personally LOVE rainbows. |
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| Second, a game to be used in the pool. Swimming and hanging out at the pool is probably my most favorite camp activity. A nurse is "needed" at the pool you know. |
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| Third, fidget-sensory toys for kids on the move. |
So, if any of you ever think about giving me a gift in the future, take a page out of Connie's playbook. Find something that I love and make the gift about that. Use all of your heart and soul in the pursuit of said gift, and I will surely be a tremendous receiver of it. I promise!
Now Go Out and Hug Someone with Autism Today!!!
