> This morning my dad, brother, and I all went shopping for the perfect gift for my mom. We knew exactly what we wanted to get her...a necklace with a cross on it. Simple enough, right? Wrong. We spent over three hours going from store-to-store in search of this "perfect" gift. We saw probably a hundred different necklaces, but there wasn't a single one that the three of us agreed upon. My dad was overjoyed about my going along with him, since he claimed I could give him "a woman's opinion about this kind of thing." I was almost in the dark as much as he was. I mean, I don't even WEAR jewelery (except for my class ring and Promise Ring, that is), so I wasn't much help. There were a lot of things I LIKED, but nothing I LOVED, which I think is what my dad wanted me to find. Soooo, I have to drag my mom to town today to get some ideas, but as my dad told me, I "can't make it too obvious." Heh...riiiiight. And what is "too obvious," anyway?
>
> I'm the worst person in the world at picking out gifts for other people. Then again, no one I want to get something for has given me even the slightest hint about what I can give them. Oh, well...hmm...
>
> ~Den-"I have the song 'Shy Guy' stuck in my head"Kara

Just wanted to comment on this, because it sort of struck a chord with me. My first Valentine's Day with Amanda, we weren't officially dating yet (although we had been unofficially dating for about three months). She was not (and is still not) a Christian, and I had never told her this, but about a year before I had been looking for a cross to wear. I wanted silver, because it matched my skin tone (don't ask me how I know that, I don't know-- I'm terrible at fashion otherwise) and I wanted something fairly simple of about a certain size, with a relatively masculine chain. And somehow, that was exactly what she got me for Valentine's Day that year. What I wouldn't give to have seen my face when I opened that box... We were out walking her dog, standing on a hill in the middle of her neighbourhood, basically at the top of the river valley, with a beautiful view of the city and the mountains... My jaw still drops when I think of how amazing and perfect that was-- the scene, the gift, the fact that she somehow KNEW. I still put on that cross every day after I get out of the shower and leave it on until right before I go to bed at night.

Just thought I'd share that with all of you.

Don "The Monkey'I hope that didn't discourage you in your search, Den-Kara'man" Jackson