Reindeer Games

There I was smack dab in my least favorite spot on earth, the shopping mall. I would have rather been anywhere else. A grave yard at midnight. A dentist office. Giving blood. In a dentist office located at a cemetery donating blood at midnight. But no, the kids needed clothes so there I was, in the urban jungle skate shop, bopping to techno music while studying board graphics as they tried on pants. In my mind I was dealing with my self by pretending not to be there. I was already tangoing in Helsinki instead of the mall that stank of clothes sizing and testosterone.
"Monkey! I haven't seen you in soo long. Where you been?"
"Oh hey", I told my neighboor, "I've been working full time. And then some." She is a chick my own age. Our kids go to school together. We go to the same church.
"You already buying school clothes for your boys?", she asked, eyeing the mountain of jeans and hoodies I was holding.
"Nope. We just need warm clothes for our summer vacation."
"Where are you going?"
"Iceland. Finland. Lapland. Sweden."
"Oh well I could think of more romantic places to go with my husband."
"Hubby is not going."
"Who are you going with? Not the boys?"
"The boys and my Sis."
"Oh that's too bad. Shame you couldn't go with girlfriends so you could do fun things. You know, like shop."
"Boys! We are going. Now. Just grab your size."

There is no one else I would rather go on adventure with than my family. Going on reindeer safari across the arctic circle or fishing in the fords I can't imagine doing with anyone else. Cept maybe Grace. But then I don't know how she would handle the nude beach. Talk to you in a month.

Love?

The first time he told me he loved me, I asked him why. I did not respond with the same endearing proclamation. I did not know what I thought of him much less what I felt.
He answered honestly and simply, "Because you are so easy to love."
That was not the answer I had wanted. I needed an ego feed. "Easy", was all I heard and did not want to be thought of in that way.
So what if we were in bed.
The best, the smartest, the hottest....Would of done me fine.
So I answered, "Thank you."
Nine years and four kids later I grew up and married him after I realized what a compliment that was.
I am anything but easy to love.