Day Fifteen, Gift Fifteen

Today I had pretty low energy again but I did my first decompression session.  It is simply laying on your back while a machine slowly and gently pulls on your spine to give the discs some relief from the pressure.  I was quite sore following but noticed right away that there was some relief in the throbbing down my leg.  When I got home, Tim and I worked with our financial adviser for about an hour, that was good but we were ready for a break.  We had a respite provider here and Tim asked me if I wanted to go out to eat and although I didn't want to get out of the PJ's I'd been wearing the past three days, I agreed.

On the way I asked him if we could go to Olive Garden...one of my favs, but not one of his.  I kept saying "Avatar...Avatar...in 3D"...he laughed and said, "Why don't we go somewhere where they serve Italian food?"  I laughed back and said I know, I know, their Italian food isn't anything to brag about, I just wanted their salad and bread-sticks.  I'm going on a medically supervised 500 calorie diet for 6 weeks starting next week to get the weight off I need to quickly.  We are not going to be going out to eat for a while, so I reminded him of this. 

About half way there we got pulled over.  I started laughing hysterically, as Tim is a Police Sergeant and I think it is very beneficial for him to "get a taste of his own medicine" occasionally.  I jokingly said, "This is my gift for the day!"  He laughed back at me as the officer came up to my side of the car to avoid the freeway traffic.  I was still giggling a bit while I shuffled through the glove compartment...I couldn't find a current insurance card, there were four old ones, but nothing current.  The officer said our registration had expired a few days ago, we were both surprised as we hadn't received the annual registration bill in the mail.  I handed him the old policy cards and told him that the numbers should be the same, I just didn't have the updated card.  That's when Tim said, "Baby, they don't check the number..."

OK, so I didn't know what to do at all because Tim has this HUGE thing about NOT telling officers that he's an officer when he's been pulled over.  It is a major, major pet peeve of his and I knew I was not to tell him that Tim was an officer.  However, when Tim said that the officer looked at me sorta puzzled and then I started laughing.  I realized he probably thought I was laughing at him, so I said, "I'm sorry, my husband is a Police Sergeant and I think it is hilarious that he on the other end of things..."  Tim exclaimed, "Oh my gosh!  Don't tell him that, I can't believe you told him that!"  This is when the officer asked Tim to step out of the car and go in the back.

I was terrified, not of a ticket, but of Tim.  I called my mom and told her what happened, I explained that Tim was going to be so mad at me that it was going to ruin our date.  She said, "Desiree, Tim doesn't get mad like that..."  I explained, no, he doesn't, but he would be quiet and not talk and it could ruin our date.  I kept telling my mom I felt like I was going to throw up and we kept laughing.  That's when she exclaimed, "Don't worry! I'll stay on the phone with you..."  Then I said, "What are you going to do from 3000 miles away?  You can't protect me!"  Then we were laughing hysterically.  As Tim opened the door, he started laughing too.  "I'm safe mom, he's laughing"...she said "OK" and hung up.

Tim was an awesome sport and I reminded him that he was the one who let the "cat out of the bag" by making the comment about the insurance card.  He agreed that it would have come across disrespectful if I did not explain what I was laughing at.  So we had a nice ride and Tim said, "OK, we are almost at Arby's..." I hit him and enuciated "OOOOllliiivvvve  Garden!"

Once at Olive Garden we had the best conversation and were laughing hysterically.  Tim kept touching the pasta to his chin like the officer on "Everyone Loves Raymond" it was painstakingly funny.  I remember thinking to myself, no one in the world would ever know the news that we had been given in the past year.  "You know," I told him..."I think these diagnoses have been the best thing that have ever happened to me..."  He said, "Really?" looking quite confused.  "Well, think about it.  I've slowed down a lot, I'm spending more time on the important things, I'm putting my health as top priority, and I'm living each and every day to the fullest like it's my last.  I'm just so happy!  And my challenge, oh my challenge! I'm having so much fun!"  He wholeheartedly agreed.

As we were eating I noticed a family ushered in across the room.  It was a dad and two younger children...they caught my eyes because both boys had longer gorgeous black hair, it was shiny and they were so handsome.  Then I thought...wow, that's neat a dad bringing his boys to Olive Garden rather than McDonalds or something.  I watched them try and twirl their fetticine on their forks in between gazing at Tim...I'm so in love with him.

When the bill came, I said, so what should we do for our gift today?  I started throwing out some fun ideas and got really excited.  Then I looked over at the family again.  "What do you think of paying their bill anonymously?"  I just had a feeling.  Tim said, "Whatever you want," with a smile.  I could tell that their modest order wouldn't be outside of our budget so when the waiter came we asked for their bill.  My adrenaline rushed as he flagged their waiter, got the bill etc...We paid it and scooted out of the restaurant in a hurry.  There was nothing like that feeling!!!  We were both very excited.

I had told Tim earlier in the day that I really needed curtains in our master bedroom.  We've been in our home two years and have decorated all the bedrooms but ours (there are six and it's a lot of work and money).  But when I'm sleeping during the day, the light hits that side of the house and I'm miserable.  We knew light blocking curtains would be pricey so we went to a discount place that I had a coupon for.  I found the perfect ones, they were thick insulated, the material and color I wanted and within our price range.  I was so excited!  Then I realized there were only three panels and I need eight for our four windows.  I went to the clerk...because they are a discount store they get things once and can't ever guarantee getting them again.  I asked her if she minded checking in the back and she said "no"...I was absolutely glowing from giving our gift and you could tell my good mood was contagious.

Suddenly she comes about of the back with her arms full of the curtains, "We have tons!" she exclaimed. "It's karma!!!"  I told Tim and we happily paid for our curtains and headed home.  It was a wonderful date and a really, really fun gift.