Russell Gets A Gold Star

My husband is adorable.

The other night, my mom and sisters Katie and Emma came to visit our apartment. They brought tidings of joy in the form of fresh garden produce! Emma brought her new toy with her: a little white teddy bear dressed in a tiny denim dress and headband that my mom had made. They left and four minutes later, we heard a pounding on our door and it was Emma again, close to tears, asking us if we had seen the little jean headband. It had fallen off her bear. Mom and Katie had their cell phones out and were combing the grass and bushes. I couldn't find it in our house, but I promised Emma that we would look for it outside the next day. Katie told me later that Emma cried all the way home.

The next morning, I came into the kitchen and found Russell sitting at the table, writing a letter. He told me excitedly, "I found the headband! It was under the couch!" He was writing Emma a little note. Then he put the note, the headband, and a stick of gym in an envelope, addressed it to EMMA GRACE ALLENBACH in huge block letters, and asked me to mail it. He said, "Do you remember being nine years old, and getting mail with your name on it was the best feeling in the world? I think she'll just love this."

I just gawked at him. I mean, it was beyond the call of duty. Most guys probably would have flung the headband in my direction and said, "Hey, I found that thing your sister was looking for." He totally went out of his way and took the time to put this letter together and make it a special surprise that will mean the world to my little sister. Of course, Emma is already obsessed with Russell as it is, because he plays soccer with her when we visit on Sunday afternoons and everyone else just wants to take a nap. He is always so sweet to her.

I love Russell for being so kind and thoughtful. I know he'll make a great dad someday.