All I want for Christmas... I mean Mother's Day

Last night I told my husband I wanted a sweater drying rack for Mother's Day. His pained expression reminded me of my father's when I opened kitchen towels in my stocking this past Christmas. - I was thrilled. Dad was apologetic. Last night, John's reaction was slightly outraged. "That's not a Mother's Day present!"

Maybe not, but it's what I want. Something that would make my like easier, but that I can't justify in the budget right now. (Plus it hangs over the shower rod, keeping it out of reach of both cats and small children.) And since he's going to spend money anyway.... My husband and my Father both like to give gifts that are wonderful and sweet, but not practical. They don't feel things like that belong as gifts.

My mother understands. We are both of a practical bent. There are a hundred little things more important to buy than sweater drying racks or kitchen towels - especially when a pillow and a bath towel will suffice, or the old kitchen towels still have SOME wear left in them (Although to be fair, many of them are now in the rag basket)

Now, there is a way that we could afford all those little things, and probably more (although with the cost of childcare these days, that's hard to judge), but we chose not to go that route. We made the choice to stay home with our kids. A small sacrifice worth all the kitchen towels and sweater racks in the world.

Growing up, I remember an aunt giving my Mom new bath towels. I was probably 10 or 12 at the time, so those bath towels, which I'm sure were wedding presents, were probably about 15 years old. Still usable, but getting pretty worn. Don't get me wrong, they weren't full of holes or anything, and they got us all dry, hence they just weren't really high on my Mom's list of priorities.

My mother has been drying sweaters on towels for years. She still does. Probably because, even with most of the kids out of the house, there are still other things to spend the budget on. My parents are extremely giving people, and I know that they are helping people out in ways that I can't even imagine. I only know what I see when I come home, and I am constantly impressed and inspired by the little things I see: The constant hosting of college students who come for a little taste of "home-away-from-home" and the sage advice; the gifts of Shaklee supplements to those who need it; not to mention all the things they do for their church family.

I'm not able to give much more than time for those outside my home right now, but I hope that when I grow up, I can take a page from my Mom's book, and be the gracious giver that she is - in so many ways. Although, I still may yearn for things like sweater drying racks. At least until I figure out a better way to keep the cats and kids off my wet sweaters... =)