February Month of Love

When I turned 21 years old, my goof-balls friends and I headed to the grocery store to celebrate my new drinking-age milestone and get a six pack of grape soda! (we were total geeks who didn't drink).

The store was eerily empty, due primarily to the fact that the city was in the middle of a severe wintry, blustery snow/sleet storm. But we weren't letting that effect our celebratory mood!

But as we met upon the old, grim checkout man, the mood changed. I noticed his name tag said "Guy" and I thought it must have been a practical joke, so I asked him what else his name was...he corrected me with this depressed, disgruntled voice, saying that "Guy" was his name. I kept up my cheery mood and followed up by asking how he was doing that evening...

"Miserable."

"Why's that?" I asked, still jolly.

"Because of this miserable month."

"Oh? Well today's my birthday!" I said to him, hoping to force a friendly smile on his face. But instead I got just the opposite. Infact, it seemed to embolden him even more...

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that."

"Why?"

"Because this is the worst month of the year. It's the coldest, it's the darkest, and ever since I lost my wife in this month, I've dreaded every day of it every year. I'd hate to have to my birthday in this month. Its too miserable to even celebrate."

I'll never forget hearing all of that dark mood come streaming from this man's overwhelming unhappiness. And somehow it felt extremely personal, as though he was intentionally there to curse me and my birthday.

And every year since, that short little conversation with that bitter old man comes back to my memory. And he's right in that, yes its way too cold, too miserable to plan anything real fun. People just want to stay home, stay warm, stay dry, and watch the Oscars.

Well, indeed for 2008, this has been a particularly snowy, cold, windy and wet Winter, and we pretty much had several inches of snow and ice-covered roads for the entire month.

But as for my birthday, it was actually and surprisingly the best one I've ever had. And most unexpected! So here's some pictures to share with everyone...


*Top photo* "My love for you fills the sky."

Most of you know how Ray's paintings cover so much of the majority of our wall-space, and they range in age from his college years to last spring. When we go camping, Ray enjoys going out with his digital camera and capture fantastic nature shots and dynamic sky shots as foundations for future landscape paintings. And I've been envious of his work, and all the past moments of inspirations that they have represented before we met.

So the biggest surprise of all, that really topped my birthday, was his revealing this painting he created for me (sometime in his crazy hectic schedule) which I didn't see coming for miles away.

It made me cry.

But then I wiped the tears and posed for a picture with it!

Honestly, my first thought on my birthday was just gratefulness and eagerness to get to do a good once-over in the kitchen! Seriously. Most often, cleaning is like a form of meditation - particularly the dishes, and I was heading in that direction when Ray had me follow him in to the living room where he took out the Banjo and began to sweat a little... (totally adorable)

He has always mentioned his own "stage fright" experience and general dislike of center-stage and the spot-light, which I think is actually detectable in this picture. Ray had downloaded the banjo tab for playing Happy Birthday - and he get all embarassed and nervous as he started to sit down and play Happy Birthday for me on it. Totally nervous and shy all of a sudden. And his nerves interfered some with complete accuracy on the song - but I knew that, and considering how nervous it was making him, he was doing quite the impressive job of playing for me. Clearly he had learned it and I was amazed and so surprised.

Now the rest of the photos are just my being snap-shot happy...



Can you tell who's the morning person...
and who isn't?
:-P























Mid-afternoon we headed out to go grocery shopping for my special Birthday dinner (to be cooked by Ray, of course!)





















And I also asked to stop at this CowBoy shop that's in our neighborhood and that I've always wanted to go inside and browse.

We tried on all the different Hats, but Ray really found some great ones! Here he is sharing a moment of zen with a horse.









Now I absolutely LOVE this original Stetson on Ray and I think this gives him the classic look for someone who loves the outdoors.


Ray liked the hat, but the brim is folded up and he admitted that its not the look he general goes for. But please, people, help me out on this one and side with me!





Indiana Jones, here we come!
























I know, none of the pictures are of me in a cowboy that. I just didn't like any I put on. But here I am on the very cold pony ride outside of the store.

(AH HA! Please take note of the very warm and very stylish leg warmers I am wearing. Thank you Pam! :-)





Ray in his truly creative cooking element. He made an amazing dinner that night!




And here is the Valentine's Day box-wine that I gave Ray for Feb. 14th - from that great gig at the local winery in Michigan last month. I covered it with these Valentines Stickers, but I had apparently gone overboard and just made it look like Cupid blew up on it.


Even the Gnomes got to enjoy the delightful desert of my birthday!


So it was the best birthday I've ever had. And now I'm 38...an age I don't really know how to feel about. But there it is.

I love you Ray.

And a big HUGE Thank You and Big Hugs to all of my family and friends who also called and sent me wonderful blessings on my birthday.

I am truly blessed.

-Stephanie