What's love got to do with.......... Sleep?..........

Before Christmas, I would have had no idea. Since the first of the year, letting one another sleep has become the number one way my husband and I show our affection for one another. He does a better job of this than I do....... I am the selfish one in the relationship, but I tried a little harder last night.

After dinner, my husband cautiously stated "I think I might go take a little nap." The hopefull look on his face made it impossible for me to resist having a little fun with him, so I replied, "Geez! I was just going to take a nap myself." The crestfallen hurt puppy dog look that took over his face, egged me on. (Someday, I will take "good wife" classes, but for now.......) He tried to reason with me that he needed just a little sleep, but I was hearing none of it. My sweet husband finds in impossible to put his needs over my own. I know many of you are thinking this would be a great thing, but I caution you to be careful what you wish for. Don't get me wrong, I know how lucky I am to have such a great guy. It is just since he won't speak up for himself, it leaves me with full responsibility for monitoring myself and keeping a fair balance going in our relationship. Don't ya hate it when you have to act like a grown-up? I think all us NEED to hear no once in a while, if only to make the yeses in life sweeter. Maybe, if I wasn't such a cute, adorable, wonderful wife, he could be harder on me? Everyone that knows him knows that it is just not in his nature. (Being hard on others that is.)

Anyway, after about two minutes of us bantering back and forth about who wanted sleep more, my husband, eyes pleading with me, repeated, "I'll just sleep for one hour." Flashing him his favorite mischievous for his eyes only smile I relied, "No you won't! You can only sleep for fifty-eight minutes, since you wasted two minutes talking about it." Sleep deprived as he was, he got the point, and took off towards the bedroom in a flash. (Before I changed my mind maybe?)

Of course (I can be a good wife when I want to) I let him sleep more than an hour, while I held down the fort. When he woke up at nine-thirty, he felt refreshed and loved. I can say this with such certainty, because that is exactly the way I feel when he bestows the gift of sleep upon me.

A friend of mine was telling me earlier today that she told her husband she didn't want him to get her anything for her birthday. Not flowers, not take her out to dinner, nothing. All she wanted was for him to help around the house more so she could have a little free time to do some of the things she wanted to do. (Like work on her craft projects without being interuped.)

It is often much easier to go out and purchase a present than it is to give the gift of time. Rarely, does it mean as much. I remember when my kids were younger, and would ask me what I wanted for my birthday, it was always the same answer. "Just get along, and don't bicker for one ENTIRE day!" I have really great kids, but we all know how siblings love to pick one another. I think every parenting class should have at least one lecture on how to referee, if the parents are planning on having more than one child. While I am on the subject, let me share my number one deterent to sibling fighting. When things started to get out of control, I would make them write love letters to one another, and then stand facing and take turns reading their letters out loud to one another. They always ended up laughing, and forgetting why they were angry. (For a few minutes anyway.)

So your challenge for today, if you choose to accept it, is to think of someone special in your life, and come up with a gift from your heart for them. Something you can do that cost only your time and effort, but will be appreciated by the receiver more than the most expensive gift in the world. The look on their face will show you why they say it is better to give than to receive. I say (especially when it comes to the gift of sleep,)it is pretty darn good to receive too, and I am betting the recipient of your gift will agree, and want to do something special right back at you. Think positive thoughts!