coffee and cocoa tea: Handsome Hero

When you have two twenty-year-old vehicles, you have to expect some hiccups in their performance. It's yet another reason I'm thankful for Handsome Hero, who is very handy with cars {and house projects} {and kids} {and...you get the idea}.

Last night, H.H. went to the hardware store, and then was coming home for us to take a walk. I love taking family walks this time of year, enjoying the crisp evening. I was going to fix the kids hot chocolate in sippie cups and put them in the stroller, and we would watch the sun set while we walked and talked. Almost like a date. A date with kids. A date with a little person who asks a question every twenty-seven seconds. Still, kind of like a date.

So when I got a call at 7:00 that the car wouldn't start, I was bummed. I didn't have any carseats, so I took the kids over to the neighbors' house, where they were just in time to watch a movie in 3-D {talk about timing}. Then I hightailed it over to the hardware store to rescue my stranded man.

Let me give you a bit of history. When we were first married, this type of incident would have thrown his world. He would have become very quiet and cranky, and annoyed if I spoke to him. He would have retreated into himself as he figured out what course of action to take. And it would have lasted until the car started working again. At times of stress, he was not fun to live with.

The things you don't know about a person before you marry him. But, hey, he had good points, too.

Fast forward to this evening. I got to the hardware store, and there he was, smiling, and, dare I say it, jovial! We actually had a great time trying a couple of things to get the car to start, and then driving back home together. He was laughing and in good spirits, and I started to realize that this new Handsome Hero was what I have come to expect.

His world no longer falls apart when a wrench is thrown in the works. He does not withdraw like he used to. He takes things in stride.

I am so proud of my husband, who did not let this phase him, even though it throws our schedule out of whack and will occupy time he had hoped to spend elsewhere.