SOOOO at the risk of sounding cheesy (see my last blog) in any way whatsoever.....Tulips have a special place in my heart...two places I really want to visit is the Tulip fields in Washington state and also the Netherlands! Tulips are probably one of the things in this life that puts me in a state of absolute awe and wonder of the beautiful things that the Lord has created for our enjoyment.
I grew up with my grandparents and my grandpa was an avid gardner...we always had the good old vegie patch but my grandpa LOVED flowers. During the great depression when things were really tough, he would go door to door to businesses selling his homegrown flowers. Tulips often remind me of my grandpa...I loved him dearly...he also loved the Mormon Tabernacle Choir...even though he wasn't a mormon himself. So when I served my mission on Temple Square...as much as I missed my family - I had so much surrounding me (with the tulips and the choir) to remind me of my childhood with my grandparents that sometimes I felt like they weren't really that far away. Now tulips also remind me of my missionary days and the precious growing experiences I had there...
Over the years I've learnt to trust in myself more - like trust my own opinon...I used to let people tell me what I 'should' like or think... so when it came time to get married....and choose my flowers...my instinct was TULIPS!! I wanted 5 white long-stemmed tulips....I got to the florist and the florist somehow - to this day I loathe that florist! - talked me out of it! That's one of my biggest regrets...I find it difficult to even hang any wedding photo's up with my bouquet of 'not so sentimental' roses....because roses don't really have any sentimental value to me...whenever my husband buys me flowers...he'll always buy me tulips...because he knows!
When Mike and I got engaged...he wanted to get me an engagement ring...I'm really not into all that and I'd always just wanted a wedding band....he wanted me to have gold - I wanted to have white gold...or silver (couldn't careless)...so what did I end up with....a gold wedding band and engagemnt ring, I let him talk me out of it. Now don't get me wrong...it's a beautiful ring set...I say this not to rat on my husband but to make my point....to this day if I had to choose again...I would still just have a white gold wedding band. At the time Mike said the only experience he'd had was hearing what his sister's wanted when they got married...he was yet to learn that every woman's tastes are considerably different. He now dreams of the movie room set up he could get with the money he spent on my engagment ring! I do admit that, now the ring is sentimental and I have been making a concerted effort to wear it more...but I'm a simple girl, (I am imagining some of my dear friends laughing right now at that comment!....) I do like the idea of a simple white gold wedding band that just states simply...'I've married my man...you'll never measure up don't even bother!...j/k ok so just to take a dig at being cheesy....more something along this line 'I married the love of my life'.......sorry there I go with trying to joke again! what I'm trying to say is...I think a simple wedding band describes my life with my husband perfectly...'I'm happy'
I look back over the last 6 years and see how much I have grown, how much I have learnt to trust in my instincts whether it be to do with my children, my husband, decorating my house, or what I'm wearing...no matter how insignificant it is...I've learnt to trust that I don't need to worry about whether someone else might think what I'm wearing is hideous or my taste in decorating doesn't suit them....because....they don't live here..and they don't have to wear it! I'm learning to love me!....and I'm having alot of fun doing it...and I'm glad I made the mistake about the tulips and roses...because it's taught me to TRUST ME!...
I grew up with my grandparents and my grandpa was an avid gardner...we always had the good old vegie patch but my grandpa LOVED flowers. During the great depression when things were really tough, he would go door to door to businesses selling his homegrown flowers. Tulips often remind me of my grandpa...I loved him dearly...he also loved the Mormon Tabernacle Choir...even though he wasn't a mormon himself. So when I served my mission on Temple Square...as much as I missed my family - I had so much surrounding me (with the tulips and the choir) to remind me of my childhood with my grandparents that sometimes I felt like they weren't really that far away. Now tulips also remind me of my missionary days and the precious growing experiences I had there...
Over the years I've learnt to trust in myself more - like trust my own opinon...I used to let people tell me what I 'should' like or think... so when it came time to get married....and choose my flowers...my instinct was TULIPS!! I wanted 5 white long-stemmed tulips....I got to the florist and the florist somehow - to this day I loathe that florist! - talked me out of it! That's one of my biggest regrets...I find it difficult to even hang any wedding photo's up with my bouquet of 'not so sentimental' roses....because roses don't really have any sentimental value to me...whenever my husband buys me flowers...he'll always buy me tulips...because he knows!
When Mike and I got engaged...he wanted to get me an engagement ring...I'm really not into all that and I'd always just wanted a wedding band....he wanted me to have gold - I wanted to have white gold...or silver (couldn't careless)...so what did I end up with....a gold wedding band and engagemnt ring, I let him talk me out of it. Now don't get me wrong...it's a beautiful ring set...I say this not to rat on my husband but to make my point....to this day if I had to choose again...I would still just have a white gold wedding band. At the time Mike said the only experience he'd had was hearing what his sister's wanted when they got married...he was yet to learn that every woman's tastes are considerably different. He now dreams of the movie room set up he could get with the money he spent on my engagment ring! I do admit that, now the ring is sentimental and I have been making a concerted effort to wear it more...but I'm a simple girl, (I am imagining some of my dear friends laughing right now at that comment!....) I do like the idea of a simple white gold wedding band that just states simply...'I've married my man...you'll never measure up don't even bother!...j/k ok so just to take a dig at being cheesy....more something along this line 'I married the love of my life'.......sorry there I go with trying to joke again! what I'm trying to say is...I think a simple wedding band describes my life with my husband perfectly...'I'm happy'
I look back over the last 6 years and see how much I have grown, how much I have learnt to trust in my instincts whether it be to do with my children, my husband, decorating my house, or what I'm wearing...no matter how insignificant it is...I've learnt to trust that I don't need to worry about whether someone else might think what I'm wearing is hideous or my taste in decorating doesn't suit them....because....they don't live here..and they don't have to wear it! I'm learning to love me!....and I'm having alot of fun doing it...and I'm glad I made the mistake about the tulips and roses...because it's taught me to TRUST ME!...
Posts
3 comments:
How neat to have a favorite flower. I love tulips too. I also think it is really special that you served in the Temple Square mission and had so many positive reminders of your childhood... tender mercies:) I'm also impressed with your wedding band choice; only a truly secure person would feel that confident... very cool. ps- thanks for the clarification on the baby shower flip flops:)
Sals you are a beautiful person. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You brightened my day and I am going to run to a window and look out on Temple Square right now just to remember (no tulips right now but memories!). Loveya!
Wow... I didn't know you had a blog! Yay, I just read it tonight. You sound as adorable as Meagan described you! Thanks so much for all of your thoughtful comments that make my day and for visiting my boring blog. Now I have your link and can keep up with you :) Take Care!
-Melissa and Jack
Post a Comment