My husband is amazing. Our family's been through the wringer this year, and he's been by my side every step of the way. It takes a special person to be willing to accommodate aging parents in the home, all while working, deploying and helping to raise two energetic boys. In light of all he does, I wanted to make this Valentine's Day special.
He's also hard to shop for. Holidays daunt me, because I know that he doesn't want any of those silly gifts that are geared towards the average guy or dad. He doesn't play golf or wear ties. He doesn't follow any sports teams, and his t-shirt tastes are impossibly quirky. His interests run towards vintage Hot Wheels cars and Legos. And though I am a woman of a few talents, I'm hopelessly out of my depth in those areas.
So imagine my joy when I stumbled across this listing on Etsy where you can order a custom-painted Lego minifigure portrait of your dearest brick enthusiast.
I'd found my perfect gift.
I sent several photos to Cynthia Maravich, the creative genius at TheWhimsicalFrog, who sent me an initial sketch and then allowed me to make small edits before she completed the final painting. She gave tremendous attention to detail, adjusting bits and pieces on the flightsuit and making fine work of the gunship's nose art.
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| detail of SuperHusband's 9mm holster |
When the portrait arrived, I could barely contain myself, and I was sure that if the kids saw it they would never keep it under wraps, so I gave it to him a few days early. I don't think SuperHusband has ever been so surprised and well, the word that comes to mind is "tickled," by one of my gifts. He chuckled every time he looked at it.
He took it to work earlier this week where I'm apparently beholden to pass on the artist's information to myriad coworkers (check) and apparently his painting has been deemed a worthy piece of aviation art by some pretty staunch critics.
And so, I'll close with this... (Sappiness Alert: If you're not into public declarations of love, perhaps you'll find this a more interesting read.)
As I sit here in the middle of the night, surrounded by the comfort of my loved ones in our beautiful home, I am reminded of how precious every moment is. And though I've spent much of the last year sad, grumpy, overwhelmed or just plain detached, my husband has never waivered. I want him to know what this goofy little portrait can't show, but what I hope it conveys: I haven't forgotten him or his love. I haven't forgotten that he has needs and desires. I haven't forgotten that he ought to have a home filled with peace and joy -- not just to be the rock upon which the rest of us lean. I want him to know that I haven't taken for granted that he is godly and kind and seemingly tireless. He has more than my love. He has my admiration and devotion. He is ever more treasured.
Happy Valentine's Day
I think it's a pretty good likeness. :)
