Arizona Arrival

I think he likes his new home here in Oregon. He has a room with a floor to ceiling window over looking green grass and playful squirrels. The orange carpet reminds him of the scorching desert so he’ll never get homesick. An overgrown ficus tree has replaced the prickly cacti. Scorpie (my precious new plush scorpion) has made the long journey from Arizona to Oregon and is now the Guardian of my office in the capitol. He gazes lovingly over the top of my mouse and keyboard as I type this. He reminds me of my Arizona sweetheart.

My package came yesterday…sent over 1,290 miles and full of wondrous surprises. I could barely contain my excitement as I checked the online tracker showing that it had indeed arrived at my door. I had six hours left in the work day before I could make the commute home and reveal the mystery behind those cardboard walls. As soon as five’ o’clock came I rushed out of the capitol and to my car. My fingers were tingling in excitement as I turned the key in the ignition. I chattered on the phone to the sweet, sweet sender as I drove home.

Anticipation overwhelmed me as I raced inside my house. I held the package in my hands and admired the precious hand sketched and colored panda bear on the box. My heart felt a wave of warmth when I looked over the address and saw our names written in his handwriting.

As if giving a play by play to him over the phone I began to cut away the super enforced packing tape holding together the folds of cardboard. Freeing one end I carefully poured the contents of baby pink tissue paper and ziploc bags from inside onto my bed.

My “school-girl-giggles” echoed in my bedroom as I open the packages to reveal a printed copies of stories we intend to read together, 27-exposure camera; yellow Arizona shot glass; raspberry sun-brewed Arizona tea; yellow socks with a coyote, butterflies and cacti; adorable baby pink bear wearing a coyote’s jersey; a gorgeous hematite necklace with pink crystals and a carved heart pendant (which I’m totally in love with btw); a maroon and gold ASU soft baby-t jersey; orange baby-t that says “I Love Suns Basketball” and of course…my precious Scorpie.

I snuggled into my Suns baby-t and thought to myself…this man couldn’t be any more amazing. He expresses himself with sweet words, never shows the heat of a temper, sings to me and asks me to sing to him, listens to my endless chatter intently, exhibits grace over each difference we have, cherishes me as a female, pays attention to every detail and remembers them when it counts, his laughter is contagious and I can feel him next to me at night even though we’ve never shared the warmth of a blanket.

To him…thank you, thank you, thank you for showing me that the man I always wished for really exists! You make my heart smile. <8