Are you or your spouse more romantic? Do your romantic gestures shine brighter during certain times of life? Guest author Lydia MacClaren is sharing with us today some moments that stick out in her memory. My husband is more romantic than I am. He’s the one who thinks of small gifts of chocolate and flowers. He is the one who suggests grabbing coffee together or going out to try a new dessert. He thinks up cheesy declarations of love that he gives with much confidence and a kiss on the cheek.
Yes, he’s the romantic one. I’m the pragmatic one. But, when I consider the most romantic gestures that he has made in our relationship, what comes to mind first isn’t the elaborate plans he’s thought long and hard over that belong in a romance novel, it’s the ones he’s made in the thick of difficult situations.
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What exactly do dead squirrels have to do with romance? Well, you might be surprised. Author Lisa Schnedler is sharing her story today and I think you're going to like it. ;) “You did it wrong,” one of my friends counseled. “You never get three dogs all the same age.”
I wish I had known—that my three “babies” – a rescue Maltese, a mixed-breed dumped on the side of the road, and my son’s childhood Boston Terrier—all in the same age range—would have to be put to sleep, one each year, for three years. And it wasn’t just the pain of putting them to sleep. It was the months and months of poor health, vet visits, and the pain of watching your companion want to live—and not be able to. My husband had had too much of this. “Let’s not get a dog until you retire.” But, six months after the suffering ended, I had had enough. Enough of coming home to an empty house. Enough of walks alone. Enough of not having my warm friend under my feet as I worked at my computer. I had had enough! When you're all set to yearn for a life of hair-tucking and quaint gestures, it's hard to settle for gluten-free pizza. Or is it? Author Karin Beery is chatting today about her "not romantic" husband. See what you think. I knew when I met my husband that he wasn’t classically romantic. He’s a bit of a redneck—he considers camouflage a “neutral” pattern—and had never read a romance novel nor watched a rom com. I didn’t have high hopes for grand gestures.
I was right to be skeptical. He bought me roses once when we were dating. Since we’ve been married (almost 18 years), the only flowers I’ve received were a Crayola-colored bouquet of daisies from the grocery story. As a life-long reader of romance novels (seriously, I started reading them in middle school), part of me grieved. I wanted hair tucked behind my ears, poetic professions of love, and romantic getaways to quaint bed and breakfasts. See those beautiful orange pumpkins?
We have plenty more where they came from. And when I say plenty, I mean WAY MORE. Last year, we planted two pumpkin seeds and grew one pumpkin. This year, we planted two pumpkin seeds and grew 34 pumpkins. Possibly more. We're really not sure if there are more hiding the middle of the patch where we can't see them for the extra tall grass or not. We keep finding them as they turn orange and show through the green. It's almost ridiculous. What on earth are we going to do with thirty-four (or more) pumpkins? "Third grade is supposed to be one of the hardest grades."
These are words my daughter uttered before school started this year. She was nervous. Multiplication tables? State testing? She just wasn't sure she wanted to go to third grade. You see, she'd gotten in her own head. Convinced herself it was going to be hard, that she couldn't do it. And once you get in your own head, it's really hard to get back out. Know that verse in the Bible that talks about how the birds don't have to worry about what they'll eat? Because God takes care of them. Well, this summer, evidently the birds decided God was taking care of them through my tomato vines.
Sigh. Don't get me wrong. We've gotten tons of tomatoes this summer. So, I really can't complain. But it's just so frustrating to see a hole poked in a tomato just turning red, so perfect otherwise, and now mostly ruined due to bird germs and bugs and the way it's starting to rot. And yet, maybe I needed the reminder. Can I be honest with you here?
I'm learning a lesson lately. Life's too short ... to finish the book. Wait. What? What did the author just say? Did she say to NOT finish a book? If you've been following along all this time, you're probably aware my birthday is this week. Last year, I hit the big 4-0, and we made a pretty big deal out of it. Because why not?
This year, it's just boring 41. Don't worry. My family will still celebrate me a bit. And several friends have already given me bookish gifts (see above for some of them). That being said, I'm one of these people who sort of look back on the last year and wonder if I accomplished anything good. If I grew. If I learned anything. Short answer. I learned something... Do you believe in love at first sight? Instant attraction? Author Toni Shiloh is chatting with us today about whether or not she believes. See if you agree with her assessment. Insta love is one of those tropes you instantly love (see what I did there) or automatically hate. I think a lot of people feel it’s unrealistic, but honestly, it was very much a thing for me.
Now I’m not going to say I instantly knew I would marry my husband the first time I ever met him, but there was this instant connection when we met. I met him when I moved to England for my first job in the Air Force. Ours was a workplace romance because he worked same career field. However, two weeks of being together and falling in love, he got orders to deploy. Does an anniversary have to be perfect to be romantic? I think you'll discover the answer is a resounding "no." Especially in stories like the one author Shirley Gould shares today. I got a kick out of it, and I think you will too! Also, make sure you scroll all the way down for her new book, which releases 7/25. Not everyone gets their happily-ever-after ending, but I did. I was abundantly blessed to be married to J.R. Gould for forty years. He was a man’s man with an amazing personality and a winning smile. His ability to proclaim the Word made him a sought-after evangelist around the world. Displaying stellar leadership skills, he was elected to lofty positions among the ministers of our church organization. As a missionary he was exemplary, winning thousands to the Lord. My tall, dark, and handsome man was also hopelessly romantic. He treated me like a queen. We celebrated our anniversaries in special places around the globe such as Paris, Hawaii, Jamaica, Puerta Varrata, and Cancun.
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This is a place for me to share thoughts and ideas not just related to writing. Thoughts about what's going on in my life, about an idea I got that I thought shareworthy, or just a funny anecdote.
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