Crushing On The Little Things

I guess I’m an odd duck when it comes to what makes me go weak in the knees and causes my heart to go ka-thump-ka-thump for my husband.  It’s not receiving a big box of candy, flowers or expensive jewelry.  It’s not exuberant displays of affection, candlelight dinners or any of the usual things that women seem to refer to when talking about what what turns them to mush for their mate.

No…for me, it’s the little day to day, week to week, month to month things.  It’s the things that many don’t even see or think about.  It’s the subtle courtship that my husband is so good at without even trying to be.

Some of you may know, my husband is a commercial truck driver.  His work takes him away from home and hearth 5 – 6 days a week.  Obviously, this makes our family and couple time together very valuable.  We just don’t have the time for the traditional ideas of romance.  There’s no room for hurt feelings, resentment or bitterness over a special day that is not celebrated in a cenventional way. Truth is, every moment becomes special and holds meaning when they are few.

Earlier this week, I had one of those weak in the knees, ka-thump moments.  Monday morning, I awoke once again to my soul mate being on the road and tending to the homefront without him physically by my side.  He had pulled out before daylight for his week of living in a truck while getting items and products that Americans want and need to their destinations.

I went to the kitchen to make coffee as usual. I use the filtered water from our fridge door for coffee because I like the way it makes coffee taste.  As I was standing there filling the electric perculator, my eyes were blankly looking at the in-door ice and water dispenser, watching the digital read out tell me the amount of water I was dispensing.

Without warning, my eye (and heart) was captured by the ice selection indicator light.  CRUSHED!  The light indicated that crushed ice was selected for the ice output.  Not cubed, but crushed! Now let me explain this.  My husband likes cubed ice.  I like crushed ice.  He knows this.  Before he had left that morning, he had set the ice to dispense crushed ice…..just for me!

And with that one small action, my heart fluttered and swelled and I began “crushing on him”.  Remember when you and your spouse were courting and how you had a crush on them in those early days? Do you remember how you adored those ever so subtle little things about them and those little things made you love the whole person? This is what I’m talking about.

Throughout that day and even now, I’ve been thinking about how he (my hubby) is often doing these types of little things and how I “crush on the little things”.

Brushing against me gently as we pass each other in a room, letting me cry and talk things out that are heavy on my heart and mind, saying a word of encouragement when I need it most.

The way he smells fresh from a shower, the way he looks when he’s concentrating on something, the way he holds our son close to his chest and plays with him even when his face shows me how tired he is, the way he speaks with sureness and puts thought into his words.

Loading the dishwasher for me after a meal, wiping his feet or removing his shoes before he comes in the house, looking at me over our son’s head with a twinkle in his eyes, running to the store for me so I don’t have to.

Wiping off the top of the wall by his shower because it is too high for me to reach, dishing out a bowl of ice cream for me while he’s getting his, starting my coffee  perking so it’s ready when I get up on the weekend, doing a load of laundry.

Calling from the road every morning to say “Good morning” and “I love you” to me and our son and every night to pray with us, speak blessings over us and say “Goodnight”.  And yes, switching the ice dispenser from cubed to crushed.

These are the kinds of little things that I really do totally crush on.

I totally crush on my wonderful, God-given husband too….more than I can possibly describe or put into words.  It’s more than like, more than adoration, more than love, more than appreciation, more than attraction.  As we say in the south, I’m stuck on him like honey on a biscuit.  Once joined together, there’s no seperating the two.

What about you?  Do you “crush” on your spouse? When was the last time you really looked at the one you share your life with and noticed those little things that made you love them in the first place? I’d love to hear your story.