Random Post: Why I Love Brian

Just some random thoughts as I wake up:

I love Brian because yesterday when he got up, he checked facebook on the computer and I heard him say, "Oh nooo!" in the most heartfelt, sorrowful way. I called, "What's happened, honey?" He said, "Murphy died!" I realized he'd seen Mo's status about her in-laws' dog having died. We have never met this dog, nor have we yet met Mo's in-laws, so I was confused and wanted to clarify: "Who's Murphy, honey?" "Murphy is Mo's in-laws' dog," he said. "Okay, I thought so; but you didn't know that dog, honey," I said, worried that he was confused and thought that perhaps one of Mo's family dogs had died, and we'd met them. "No, I know," he said, "It's just sad." My heart swelled up with love for a person who can be so moved by a loss so personally removed from him.

I love Brian because he's so excited about this wedding. We were discussing tasks that need to be done the soonest, and the invites came up. Bri's mom is making them (an amazing feat, one that I think she's certifiably insane for attempting, but am eternally grateful), and she asked for some guidance on the look and feel. I've recently found myself struggling with envisioning the feel of the whole wedding, so I was surprised and happy when Bri piped in and said he wanted to do plan the invites with his mom. I was a little surprised, at first, as he's not really a detail person...but our recent Christmas crafting experience stands as evidence that he has a fantastic artistic eye. I asked him if he was sure he wanted this job, and he was adamant. I remembered that about a year prior, at a card-making day at his mom's, he had participated and had, in fact, made a joke wedding invite for us, which I still have tucked away somewhere. I chuckled now at his insistence, and said I wasn't arguing, and he was welcome to do it. Of course, when he called his mom he was all cool about it, perhaps feeling a little silly for wanting to do a task that is a very traditional bride's task; but I love it, and I love Brian for wanting to be a part of even the little details of the wedding.

I love Brian because he looks out for me in the most unusual ways. I have issues with my shoulder muscles, and after many tries at therapeutic massage, my orthokinesiologist said that I was causing the damage by sleeping with my hands behind my head (lounge-on-the-beach position) and that I had to stop; sure enough, when I do manage not to sleep like that, my shoulders hurt much less--but try telling yourself not to sleep a certain way! Anyway, many months ago I told Brian about this, and had half-jokingly told him that if he ever saw me sleeping with my hands over my head, he should get me to put them back down. Well, in the wee hours of the morning last week, I felt Brian shift beside me, and felt a firm yet gentle hand guide my elbows down to my sides: I hadn't even realized it, but I had been sleeping in the 'beach' position. If I hadn't been sleeping lightly, I never would have noticed Bri guiding my arms to my sides, but without even waking, he did so. And I realized how much less my shoulders have been hurting, and that Bri is doing this all the time, in his sleep. I love that he does little things for me, even when he's asleep.

I love Brian because he wanted an engagement ring, too. He's been hinting at it pretty strongly for a while now, and, unable to provide him with something that wasn't silver (he reacts to silver), I told him it may have to wait a while. On the weekend we were passing through the mall and stopped at the jewelry counter at the Bay; there was a display of marked-down items from Christmas, including some stainless steel men's rings. Intrigued, I picked a couple up and thought they were really quite nice. I handed Bri a few to try on, and one fit perfectly. And then, the hinting began. Oh, such hinting, full of all the subtlety of a marching band! I mean, I know that Brian is learning from me, Jordan, Queen of the Stage Whisper, subtle as sequins, but short of clutching it to his chest and begging "pleeeeeeease!" he could not have been more obvious. The price tag on the ring said $10.00, and there was no way I wasn't getting him this ring. I went to the counter and bought it while he wandered down the counter pretending to give me some privacy for the transaction; I tucked it in my purse, and we didn't speak about it again 'til dinner. We'd stopped at our favourite Vietnamese restaurant (Mrs Le's) to pick up a single order of fried rice (a delicious special treat--mmmm, don't even get me started), and as we sat at a table sipping icewater, surrounded by enough awesome Asian kitsch to fill twenty restaurants, I said some sweet things for Bri's ears only, and slid the ring onto his finger. He smiled and teared up, and has refused to be parted with the ring ever since. I just keep hoping his skin won't react with the ring, as it appears that everything non-precious causes issues; and I can envision the battle we'd have to go through if I had to tell him to take it off because of a reaction. I'm soooo hopeful that we'll have a good response to the gold-gathering project (see 'Special Projects' tab at the top of the page), so that I can give Brian a beautiful ring he can cherish forever. I love Brian because he's so excited about marrying me, he wanted a ring to show the world.

That's it, really. I have some stuff to blog about relating to the wedding, but this entry right here is what it's really all about. So I'll sign off here.