This annoys me because giving great gifts is one thing I pride myself on. There is nothing that I enjoy more than thinking of the perfect gift for someone. It's great if they can point me in the right direction, but I always like to add that element of surprise...going a little beyond what they expected.
Because I know J almost as well as I know myself, I am usually pretty successful, I think, finding him great gifts. Finding gifts for the rest of his family, though, especially his sisters, makes me crazy. Seriously. His sisters are even worse than he is for suggesting gift ideas. For example, way back in June, I started thinking about gifts for H. Her 30th birthday was on July 6th. I came up with nothing. Nada. Zilch. So, even though we went camping with her just a few days after her birthday, we didn't have a gift for her. We've been trying to come up with ideas ever since. That was four months ago, people. She still hasn't told us what she wanted for her birthday. Can you imagine my stress?? I'll let you in on another secret: I tend to be a little OCD about deadlines. I feel terribly guilty if I miss a deadline.
On the upside, time works differently in J's family...they don't feel the same pressure to give or receive gifts on exact birthdays. They're okay with giving or receiving gifts months or even years later. And while I'm okay with receiving gifts late, I'm sure not okay with giving them late. So this peculiar habit of all three of them (J and both his sisters) makes me want to pull my hair out. They think it's kind of funny...and truthfully they probably find it annoying. But I can't help myself.
Way back in late June, early July, my friend talked me into sewing a rag quilt. I did, and I was totally hooked! I bought fabric for two more quilts. One of the quilts I intended to be a Christmas gift for H. So, when I finished her quilt about a month ago, I washed it and dried it, and folded it up to wait for Christmas.
About a week and a half ago, we got a phone call from J's mom. H had finished her seven week course and was coming up to Washington to get Sam, her dog. C was coming home from school for the weekend, too, so J and I decided to go and visit as well. We got to talking about gifts before we left. We were taking his dad the gift we had gotten for his birthday in September, and I said I would feel kind of bad giving Dad a gift and not H because her birthday was in July.
J suggested we take the quilt. Though it goes against my OCD nature to switch stuff around like that, I conceded because I really could not think of anything else to give H.
I took some pictures before we wrapped it up to share with you guys. I'm so thrilled with the way it turned out! I saw the camouflage print with the butterflies and knew I had to use it. My friend who talked me into the first quilt has an embroidery machine, so I had her embroider a square for me. It has H's name, her sign-up date, an Air Force logo, and the nickname her family gave her when she joined up: Lt. Dan.
It turned out so cute! And, of course, J just couldn't help goofing off when I asked him to hold it up for me to take pictures. He cracks me up!
1 comment:
that quilt is awesome!!! Great job K!
and I say, if he's not gonna give you ideas on what he wants, then he starts to get what he needs. I'll bet a few holidays of receiving socks and underwear and he'll suddenly decide to start giving ideas on what he WANTS.
I stink at gift giving. My mother's always been really awesome at it. Why couldn't some of that rub off on me? I still remember giving you some raspberry body wash from bath and body works, only to find out later you're allergic to the stuff. I rock!
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