Marriage Lost and Found

December is for many of us, a gift giving and receiving month.  For many it is not only the Christmas season but also their Birthday Month.  My husband is one of those people.  He pretty much likes 4 things (besides us of course):
1. USC
2. Golfing
3. Ties (he wears a suit and tie almost everyday to work)
4. Getting presents for his birthday

My husband is a high school administrator and over the years his students and staff have made it their mission to "surprise" him in some way during the week of his birthday.  One year it was to fill his office with balloons like in the movie UP, one year it was to put millions of copies of his face on every surface in his office, and so on......but people also want to get him the perfect gift.  I refer you again to the list above....not much to work with right?? 

Starting about mid November I start getting emails, text messages, phone calls, etc. all with the same question- "What does he want for his birthday?".  Now if I tell everyone that asks that he likes USC, he will get 75 USC shirts and that seems to be kind of a waste and not very creative.  Plus, I still have to figure out what the kids and I are going to get him. 

Thankfully the idea of gift cards has become a huge hit in the gift giving world and I am able to suggest to people that ask, that they get him gift cards for stuff he could do while on Christmas Break from school- he loves to go to the movies during this time to see all the movies I refuse to see with hm (SCI-FI.....).  So this trend took off and he has been the recepient of many Starbucks cards, restaurants, and movie gift cards. 

Here is what I forgot about this man.  He is the master of delayed gratification.  Money does not burn a hole in his pocket.  I do not have the same maturity.  He will put these gift cards all in our top kitchen drawer and LEAVE them there.  I open this drawer about 20 times a day to get a pencil, a paperclip, count how many cards he has, alphabetize the gift cards.......and they just sit there staring at me.  So this year I have decided to become a concerned citizen of our household and designate this drawer the Lost and Found.

Here's how it works---I see these gift cards (and I'm mostly talking to the Starbucks cards because really when do I get to go to the movies!!) and they are not mine so they must be LOST.  I will let them sit there for the requried 30 days or so and see if anyone CLAIMS them.  If they are still there after the 30 days or so I will determine them FOUND by me!! 

I did this recently with one of his 10 dollar Starbucks cards and here is how I continue to rationalize it.  Since our life schedule doesn't allow for many date nights these days, I can toast my Venit Tazo Tea to my husband and count this outing as a DATE! See.....EVERYBODY WINS!!