Since we started dating when I was 19, my husband and I have had 21 Christmases together. Most of the gifts he gave me, I don't remember. I'm pretty sure he doesn't remember most of the ones I gave him, either. Gifts between us are truly about gesture and not object.
But this year, husband did the unthinkable. He gave me a present that was so amazing, so utterly perfect yet awe inspiring, that I will never top it. I'm either not going to try to top it, or spend the rest of my life trying to top it. Haven't decided which one yet.
This is what he gave me:
He gave me my own book back. When I finished with the last round of edits on December 18, I emailed it to him with a 'ta-da!' Unbeknownst to me he laid out all of the text (he's a Creative Director, so he knows how to do the fancy stuff), designed the cover and sent it out to blurb.com.
When I opened the little package on Christmas Eve, I burst into tears. I've only done that once before, when my eldest daughter was born and I found out she was a girl. One minute I'm going "What the...?" the next I've got my head buried in my pillow, just bawling my eyes out. It was intense.
There was also an unforeseen benefit to having my words in print. Reading the book that I thought was done in book format let me find lots of edits. Not huge, oh my gothness edits, but ones that I'm happy I made. I cut nearly 1000 words from this I Swear It's Really Final version. And I send it to BP tomorrow.
But wait. There is more. The next day, Christmas Day, husband gave me a present that was equal in awesomeness to the book, but in a completely different way...Stay tuned.
What's the best present you ever got?
What a fantastic present! I'd burst into tears too!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing gift! Cool cover, too.
ReplyDeleteI'd say one of the best gifts I've ever gotten was a cradle made by my husband's grandpa, and my husband carved Baby Schieffelbein onto it. All my babies have slept in it.
How sweet! What a thoughtful guy!! My best present was when I turned 30. My boyfriend flew me to Olrando, FL and took me to Disney World. He proposed during the firework show at Epcot and we were married this last March. Best present ever!!
ReplyDeleteHe sounds like a keeper.
ReplyDelete@bonnie - that's a pretty awesome gift too - the kind that keeps on giving!
ReplyDelete@rachel - how lovely! again, it's something that keeps giving, and probably will continue to do so for generations!
What a great Christmas present! I'd love to get my own book someday.
ReplyDeleteI got a new copy of The Scarlet Letter. I'm rereading it now. I LOVE it. One of my favorite books!