Thanksgiving Countdown, Day Three: I Tease Because I Care

My poor husband is such a good sport. From day one of our relationship, I have teased him mercilessly. It's my method of flirting, you see. Which, when you think about it, probably shouldn't work. Laughing at a guy seems like a good way to make him go away, not hang around for more.

And, admittedly, Ben found me completely baffling at first. He never seemed to know quite how to react. But somehow, he still found me charming. And he proposed after only a week and a half of dating.

Now, after eleven years together, he's less bewildered by my teasing. And he's gotten really good at giving it right back to me. He's learned to speak my flirtation language. He knows that none of my teasing comes from a malicious place. It's like I tell Evie, "I would never tease someone that I disliked. I only tease people that I love. So it's when I stop teasing you a lot that you should be worried."

Ben understands that I tease him because I find him delightful. And he's learned to roll with it, embrace it, even. And I love it when he teases me back, because to me, that says that he loves me and understands me.

Today we had a really fun exchange. I had to go run errands, and he (understandably) didn't want to come with me. I totally get not wanting to run errands, but I told him he was on "my list," which is something I say when I'm pretending to be irritated.

While I was out, he texted me and said that he wished he had come with me. Naturally, I knew that he was saying this because he felt bad that I had to go alone. But instead of going, "awwww," I told him, "You've softened my heart and I've taken pity on you. Maybe I will bring you back a treat."

He wrote back, "My mistress is too kind to her servant."

I was feeling pretty magnanimous.

So, while I was in Kohl's, I found the perfect "treat." It was something that I knew he would simultaneously love and (probably) be slightly embarrassed by. It was my way of saying, "You're forgiven... or are you???"

Mostly, it was to make him laugh.

The Ben of eleven years ago would have been so confused by this little gift. But today's Ben embraced it completely, understanding that it was my unique way of saying "I love you, you big weirdo."

I'm so grateful that he gets me. And that he's such a good sport.

And, most of all, I'm grateful that we make each other laugh. :)

They're storm trooper footie pajamas!!!