Retail Therapy

It is difficult being 2100 miles away from April - ok 2156 miles from our house to her office (but who uses Google to figure that out anyway). I want to be there to fix her dinner, or to rub her shoulders, or just hold her when she is feeling blue.

Last night she said she needed some retail therapy. "Don't worry, I'm not going to spend that much money." April is like her mom - finding a bargain is a sport. A couple of months ago April and I put our checking account together - and she always worries about spending any amount of money.

"I'm headed to the mall, I've got to get a new purse - between my vitamins, the two cell phones, and everything else I carry I need something."

"So, I guess I won't be getting you a new purse for Christmas?"

She laughed. "No, honey, I kind of need it now. I had to put the vitamins in my purse, because I can't take them on an empty stomach."

April has two cell phones because her one phone is for work, and sometimes she turns it off or forgets to charge it. Once she was pregnant I wanted to have a way she could get a hold of me - and since I had two cell phones that was easy.

"There is this restaurant there that has some great food, tofu, and healthy vegetables and I am just in the mood for that."

Even though tofu is about the last thing on my list of great foods, I've read a thousand times how a pregnant woman will have urges and eat things, and never to argue. "Sounds wonderful,"- my voice dripping with sarcasm and a smile. She caught both and laughed.

She thinks she's fat - her breasts are larger, she is a bit bloated, and had to go to a size six. I keep telling her that she was a bit too skinny for a kid, and now her body is storing all it can while the creature inside of her is being built to specification (we put in an order for a boy, but first order was healthy). So I am happy she doesn't want to skip a meal - although if given an option of tofu I might skip a meal.

She happily found a parking spot and entered the mall and I went back to work.

A few minutes later I got a text with the photo (above) attached saying "I want this nativity!"

I looked at this and my text was "That's us!"

I looked at that little scene and our little family as we will be next year- complete with an animal or two (and my beard of course).

April's mom collects nativity sets - and has enough to fill a couple of houses. April and I are still working on our Christmas decorations (this soon-to-be-former- bachelor has spent Christmas time with other folks, and I don't even have a tree or stocking).

April was worried about the price-- but it was far less expensive than most and it is her therapy. Later that night April tweeted "Dear baby Jesus... Thank u for retail therapy... And for my new minimalist nativity that I found for way to much money but put a smile on me."

So even if I can't be there- if something simple can put a smile on my girl's face- it is worth it.

Still, every day I am not with her is getting more and more difficult. I look forward to Fridays now - because that's when I get to see her. Someday soon we will be together - and I need to remember these times so I never - never - never - never - never take for granted our time together.