Presents and such

Today is my birthday and I got to thinking about presents and how I am the world's worst present giver. I think I'm afraid that it has to be this amazing gift that they'll treasure forever, I don't know. It's a lot of pressure, but I can't imagine it away. I even feel that pressure picking out Barbies for my daughter's friends. Will she love this Malibu Barbie FOREVER?

Art from nataliedee.com.

Cute, but there are some cruddy words on there, so now you're warned.

Has everybody on the planet read 'The Five Love Languages' yet? Good book. The theory is that different people express love and sense it in different ways: gift-giving, quality time, acts of service, physical touch and words of affirmation.

I am a quality timer, followed by words of affirmation. There have been very few presents that actually meant something to me, one exception from our first anniversary, my hubby put a jewelry box with little diamond earrings inside of a cake (chocolate on choclate, of course). I was digging in with the knife, trying to cut a piece and actually pierced the box. Nathan had to clue me in that it wasn't a really tough piece of cake, but that perhaps there was something hidden, you know, inside the cake. I teared up when I opened the box, but I think that's the only time I have.

Those earrings were eventually lost on the way back from my cousin's wedding and I have this suspicion that the baggage handlers helped lighten my suitcase. The point is, I lose jewelry. Books seem like a safe present to give me, but I rarely find a book that I love enough to want to buy it (although lots of books are worth reading, I am EXTREMELY picky about which ones I buy. Limited budget and shelf space are the main reasons.)

I was given a Barnes and Noble gift card for Christmas, and couldn't bear to spend it until I read the Hunger Games, but then I had no problem using it. I'd found a book worth the price. Thinking about it that way, I can understand why agents are so picky about what they represent. And I desperately hope that this kind of stinginess will not turn into book sales karma. 

The best present I have been given is to have the love and support of my family, especially my husband. My 9 year old has pretty much stopped asking me if I'm EVER going to be done with my book and my husband has changed from tolerating all the hours that I spend cozied up to my computer to encouraging me to write more. It is a special gift to have people believe in you, and I have been truly blessed. I apologize for the rambles. I tried to edit out them out, but then there would have been nothing left! But hey, it's my birthday!