Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these

While in the supermarket checkout, an elderly lady noticed our two cases of Dasani water. She asked if they were on sale and Brant told her that they were. As she hesitated, Brant assumed she didn't want to have to get out of line to get one. He offered her one of ours, and said he could retrieve another one. She said oh not that's okay. He kept insisting until she finally said, "Well thank you, but I wouldn't be able to get it into my house." She quickly dismissed it saying I'll just have my son-in-law run in and get me one later this week. We felt kind of bad, because it would be hard to imagine not having the physical capacity to carry a case of water. But, sensing it was a source of pride to her, we didn't push it.

As we went out to our car, we loaded our groceries. I didn't think much more about it. Brant noticed that she was just barely leaving the lot he said, "You know, I'm going to follow her home and give her one of our water cases." We followed her home...I was afraid she was going to think we were stalking her. She actually pulled over a couple times waiting for us to pass her. The second time she did, Brant pulled up next to her and said, "Hey, I'm not stalking you, I just wanted to bring you a case of water." She was so grateful.

She led us to her house and Brant carried the water in. We talked to her for a minutes and found out that her husband had passed away just four months earlier. She said it had been hard adjusting to not having him around. She was 81 years old--and she looked great!

Brant does these random acts of kindness all of the time. He doesn't think that it is a big deal and that he doesn't do anything that nobody else does. I admire him so much for his compassionate heart. I think that woman was so touched that he did that for her. She tried to pay Brant and he wouldn't take her money. When she kept insisting, Brant said, "How about you just give me a hug." I wish my eyes were more open like Brant's to help those in need. The world would be so much better if we all were more like him.

9 years of wedded bliss?

I can't believe how quickly 9 years can pass. When I was single, I was resigned to the fact that I would never marry. At the "old" age of 31 I finally married. At 40, 31 seems pretty hot. We've had ups and downs, and downs, and downs, and some ups. I wish I could say all is well and that its been the best nine years of my life, but that would not be true. However, I do think that through all of our trials, I am learning more about the boy I fell in love with. He has grown into a man over the past nine years. He has become a better person than I was. Now I trust his judgment more than mine. We have been like two cats fighting in a cage. Ironically, no matter what he does to me or I do to him, we keep coming back to each other. This time, we're trying to minimize our weaknesses and improve our strengths. Maybe we'll never overcome the addiction we have to each other. Maybe we'll learn how to really love. Maybe we'll do better this time around.

Brant sent me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers for our anniversary. He never buys a cheap bouquet of roses, they're always amazing. I get so many compliments (as I put them on the front counter at my work.) There are a group of guys that come into eat all of the time. They always tease me about my flowers. (Because I get them alot.) One time someone else had gotten flowers at work. They were a modest bouquet. The guys came in as asked if I had gotten flowers again. I said, "These flowers are too small to be mine." They laughed because it was true...I get giant boquets of flowers. Brant also sent me a Bath and Body Works basket too. I am so lucky! We're getting a room in Vegas tonight. I'm not sure what to expect...but he said there was a huge surprise there.