Love/hate giving gifts

i really hate giving gifts (or really anything for that matter).  it knocks at all my insecurities and it just defies logic.  like "why am i guessing at a $10 gift for you so you can guess at a $10 gift for me?  why don't we just each spend $10 on ourselves and know that we're getting exactly what we want?!  i know that's not as fun, but as i said, LOGIC.  also, i hate trying to guess what someone likes.  or what they already have.  or what they might need.  it makes me so insecure.  what if they don't like dark chocolate?  what if they think milk chocolate is boring? what if they are just into fruity candy or are on a health kick and don't want sweets in the house?  even if it's not a formal present, my insecurities are still there.  what if someone doesn't like the cookies i made?  or what if they don't don't like whatever thing i'm getting rid of and are just trying not to offend me about it?  i don't want to put someone in an awkward spot.

so through all of that... the weird thing is that i love getting stuff from other people.  i love people's hand me downs especially.  i know i could probably buy it myself and i appreciate that someone else has saved me that time and effort... but really i love the happy thoughts that things invoke when i see them.

today was a snow day.  we spent the day in our pj's watching christmas movies and hanging out.  honey came home from work early and took the kids sledding out back.  he asked me to watch from the kitchen so i could come get brady when he decided he was done.  so i smiled and giggled as i watched the three of them.  it was perfect.

and as i watched them, i saw the sleds my dad got for us when he was visiting one time.

i saw abigail's pink snow pants from her cousin that my sister gave to us.

i saw the hats and gloves from klaudette.  without the gloves, the kids wouldn't have been able to go sledding at all.

and i saw my honey, always giving of his time.  coming home early and braving the 18* snowy, windy weather.

i may be the worst gift giver on the planet... but i do have a grateful heart.