Day 331: Hijacked Surprise

This might lead to our demise, but we like to snack on chocolate chips. We’ll buy a bag of them, not for cookies or muffins, but simply to munch on.

On Saturday night, after you went to bed, I put out a handful of chocolate chips for you down the stairs along with a note that said: “Some sweets for my sweetie.” I expected you to find your surprise the next morning when I was at work.

I’m just not sure how well I thought this plan through. For one, you probably wouldn’t have wanted chocolate chips for breakfast, although you might’ve used them in something that you ate or saved them for later. For another, I didn’t think of the fact that our two older kids might find the chocolate before you.

When you called our kids to you in the morning in order to get them ready for the day, you were surprised to see that they had chocolate all over their faces. “Where did you get chocolate?” you asked. “We ate the chocolate chips dad left for us,” they said. You were pretty confused about that. You didn’t see the note, so it was only later when you talked to me that I was able to clear things up.

Day 305: Change of Plans

On Sunday (7/29), I had an act planned–I intended to give you 15 minutes to talk about whatever you wanted while I gave you my full attention. I’d done this before. I wanted to do it again because I’ve been convicted lately about my listening habits (I’ve written much about this).

However–and this is a big however–as soon as I parked the car at our place, you informed me by cell phone that our oldest daughter had smashed her teeth on the bathtub and that we needed to take her to the emergency room. So, we took her.

She was brave in the ER, much more so than us. The doctor told us that he couldn’t do anything but that we should see a dentist in the morning. By Monday afternoon, we had a daughter with four less teeth, stitched-up gums, and an adorable new smile.

I did manage to commit my act of love on Sunday, though. Late, late on Sunday night (Monday morning, really), I Facebooked you a message telling you that you handled the teeth situation well and that you acted bravely. When you read this, I think it really affected you because you kept thanking me for the note and saying that you didn’t know why I thought you were so brave because you felt like a wreck the entire night.

Day 260: Message in a Bottle

On Thursday, I took you to the beach, where we found a bottle with a message in it. 😉 Here’s the message:

Sorry it’s blurry. It says, “I would swim across the ocean for you (in a world where that’s physically possible–in this world, I would swim until I got tired).”

We almost didn’t go to the beach that day. Before I left for work, I asked you and the girls if you wanted to go when I got home. You all said yes. So during the day I took a break from work and went to the beach and buried a bottle with a message in it near the pier at Goleta Beach. When I got home, everyone was tired and cranky and needing some time apart. I asked you if it was still okay for us to go to the beach and you said that you didn’t think so. So I did what any respectable husband would do: I pleaded with you to let us go. You caved.

When we got to the beach, everyone forgot about their crankiness and had a great time playing in the sand and the waves. I tried to steer us towards the pier, but no one seemed interested. Finally, I got us near the bottle. I unburied it when no one was looking and hoped that someone would find it. Our middle girl did. She picked it up and showed it to you.

“Yuck! Put that down!” you said. “Let me see that,” I said. Our middle daughter gave it to me. “Chauncey, don’t touch that! It’s so gross that you guys are picking up some random beer bottle!” you replied. (It was actually a root beer bottle that I bought at the store. I initially wanted to use some cool antique bottle but I couldn’t find a cheap one. And I didn’t want to pay lots of money for one when both of our grandmas have tons of them just lying around at their houses.) “Look, there’s something in it!” our oldest daughter said. At that point, you took the bottle and examined it. “Gross, it’s a random beer bottle with a cigarette inside,” you said as you threw it on the ground. “No one touch it!”

Then I walked over, picked up the bottle, took off the lid, and dumped the note out in my hand. When you saw that there was a note inside, you rolled your eyes at me. “You did this?! How did you do that? That was very sweet, but you shouldn’t put notes in random beer bottles.” I then explained to you that it wasn’t some random bottle.

Once you were in the know, you were okay with the whole thing and were even very impressed with it.

Here are some pictures of our evening at the beach:

This was candid and cute, so I put it in.

Day 245: Message on the Sand

Yesterday, I took a break during my workday to compose a message for you on the sand out of dry seaweed. Here‘s a video of it and here are some pictures:

When I got to the beach, there were hundreds of high schoolers there. I almost didn’t make the message because I was embarrassed to do it with so many people around. But I braved on.

Partway through my project, a group of about 10 high schoolers congregated behind me to watch me make this. They were all a chatter about how clever this was and how nice and they asked me if I was making it for my girlfriend. I told them that I was making it for my wife.

When I finished, they took turns standing by it and getting their pictures taken by their friends. Then, all of the hundreds of high schoolers suddenly left, including my groupies. They must have been on a field trip or something.

Anyway, I hope you like your message and your youtube video. This idea isn’t novel, but I don’t think you’ll care.

Day 242: Scrabble Message

This Sunday, before I went to church, I left you a message:

The girls saw it before you and were excited because they just knew it was a love note to you from dad. I guess I’m pretty predictable.

When I came home from church, you glowed when you thanked me for it. Seems like I scored a lot of points with this move.

Day 227: Your Act of Love

On the way home from your earth-shattering Mother’s Day celebration (where’s a sarcasm font when you need one?), I started feeling sick. By the time we got home, I felt so bad that I had a hard time making it to my bed on my own. For the rest of the night, I lay in bed with a high fever.

That was a really fine way to end your Mother’s Day. But think of it this way–I gave you a great opportunity to show off those outstanding mothering skills of yours. And show them off you did! You waited on me at every moment, yet simultaneously kept our kids from killing each other.

Thank you so much for doing such a great job. In fact, thanking you for the job you did was my act of love for Saturday. While sick in bed, I wrote you this note:

Thank you for taking care of me even on Mother’s Day. You’re a great mom and a spectacular wife!

That note was about all I could handle doing for your act of love. I can’t believe how sick I felt that night. (Maybe the processed chicken from Chuck E. Cheese’s didn’t sit well with me!)

222: Ecard Success

A while back, I attempted to send an ecard to your email address. You never got it. I decided to try again. Here‘s the card I sent.

I searched and searched that site for a manly greeting card, but couldn’t find one. So, the animated bee you’ll find when you hit the above link will have to do. I’m sure you don’t mind.

I did personalize the card, though I can’t now remember what I put. Anyway, if you don’t get this one in your email, at least you have the link to it here. I’ll even give you a new personalized greeting (and since I couldn’t find a manly card, I’m going to simply embrace the cheese):

Dear Lovey-Dovey,

Thanks for beeing mine!

Love,

Chauncey xoxo

PS: It will be an embarrassing day when the guys find out about this blog.

PPS: Click on the bee. It’s animated.

Day 217: The Note Book

For this act of love, I wrote the following note and stuck it in one of your favorite books on our shelf:

I loved you as I wrote this,

And I love you still,

I love you as you read this,

Pray I always will!

Which book? I’m not telling. Given that it’s one of your favorite books, though, I’m sure you’ll find the note eventually. Or, after reading this, you’ll bug me until I tell you. Actually, the latter’s so likely it’s almost certain.

Day 211: I Treasure You

I had no clue what to do for my act of love on Thursday. I wanted it to be interesting, but couldn’t come up with anything. Finally, I thought, “Who gives a crap if it’s interesting, as long as it shows Francine that I treasure her.” But that thought gave me an idea: to email you this:

That last picture is supposed to be of a ewe. I have no clue if it is.

UPDATE: You replied to my email message with this: “haha, first i thought it was eye gold lamb… haha thanks! I gold lamb you too! :0)” Maybe it is a lamb; if so, it can’t be a ewe.

Day 199: Balloon Message

At the retreat, I wrote this note:

My Beloved,

Your love lifts me to great heights. It carries me in unexpected directions. It drives me to exciting places. Now here, now there, on ever wonderful adventures.

Your Beloved

Then I blew up a balloon, let the air out until almost none was left, and tied it. Next I tied a string to the balloon and tied the note to the string.

What did I do with the balloon? You’ll find out later.