speaking in gifts?

woohoo!!! apparently my family finally tired of hearing all my whining about not having a working digital camera because that's one of the great gifts i got this year for my birthday. in fact, i need to take a moment to properly acknowledge just what my loving hubby and sons did for me this year... my birthday (yes, a few weeks ago) started with blueberry pancakes (my favorite breakfast!) served to me in bed (with pulp-free oj, of course!!). as seems to be our custom, anytime i get breakfast-in-bed, my server is taylor. so, he shows up with my breakfast (+ a plate for himself), he crawls in with me and we eat breakfast while watching an old movie on tcm. right up my alley!! then, ed & i went down to the strip and strolled/shopped a little before coming home and having a really relaxing day with the guys. later that evening, i get to open gifts from my in-laws (my m-i-l is great at sending gifts for every occasion!!) and one package from the guys. it's bath beads (a little treat that i love). honesty, i was quite pleased that they'd thought to get something i wanted and i didn't think about the fact that between 5 of them, all i got was bath beads! but, they informed me that this would be the "birthday week" and i would be showered with gifts for one week! yeah!!!!

the gifts that followed were a new corningware dish & cookie trays (i know, they don't sound exciting, but they are both things i've wanted to replace but didn't feel like i should spend the money when they weren't "necessary"), a beautiful candle, lovely "dangling" earrings, and a digital camera!! these are ALL things that i've specifically wanted and i got each and every one for my birthday week. it was such fun!!

one of my little annoyances with gifts is being given something just for the sake of giving me a gift (not thinking of what i would actually want) or worse, choosing something that the giver wants!! so, with the boys in particular, i've been trying to teach them the art of good gift-giving. at christmas, i really pushed them to think about what their dad would want and it was a new experience for them to actually do that! and i know that ed loves whatever they give him, i know he also really loved the things he was given this year!! i feel like ed did the same this time with my b'day gifts and it was really great!

you know, it's funny... some time ago, i read the "love languages" book and i've struggled to figure out what my love language really is. i know i definitely express love by acts of service... that's why i really do love to cook, keep house (not terribly well, but i do some) and care for my guys. what i didn't realize was how important gifts are to me!! to be honest, while i think it's fine for my friend, jenni, to be a "gifts" person, i felt it was inappropriate to be one myself. (sorry, jen!!) ha!! i think i am!!! just as i know is true for jenni, i don't really need expensive or extravagant gifts, but i love getting "thoughtful" gifts... something that the giver saw that reminded them of me or something that i would really love.

in addition to my awesome b'day gifts from ed and the boys, i also recently received a book by an author that i wanted to check out and an ipod (sweeter than i even imagined it would be to have one) - both of which i'm using as my incentive to go to the gym more!! - in addition to a gift card to talbots and money that i could use to take the family out to dinner (a double gift, as i don't have to cook/clean up!!). yes, believe it or not, the month of january 2008 has made me realize that i really feel loved and appreciated when i receive gifts!! don't get me wrong, i also feel well-loved with words of affirmation, signs of affection, acts of service (like ed putting up swinging doors in both doorways to the kitchen to help me keep the dogs corralled during my work day!!) and spending time with people i love. but now, i can openly say that i also love gifts!! :) truth be known, i often think of gifts that i want to give people. unfortunately, i either can't afford to follow through or i can't get my act together enough to do so. but i do think of giving gifts to show people how i feel about them! so, this isn't really a new love language after all!!

anyway, i seem to be a little camera shy as i try to figure out the camera but here are a few shots that i took of the guys who are right now fighting for world domination in the game of risk in our dining room (note the swing door - not yet painted- and the bike... does everyone else have to keep a bike in the dining room?!? guess this is the price we pay for getting one for taylor in december... he doesn't want to put it away with the other bikes because he hasn't had a chance to break it in yet. um, it's not quite bike weather right now.)