TToT – Mexican Delicacies and a Love Letter of Sorts

September 6, 2014 Off By Lisa

Contrary to popular rumor, I have neither left the country or this life.

I have, however, been sick with round two of whatever horrible allergy-induced respiratory nonsense I’ve had lurking the last couple of weeks. I’m sure it’s allergies because, well, the symptoms just don’t add up to anything else and…corn smut.

Yup, corn smut. It’s a real thing, I promise. (Look it up. Just be forewarned – it’s nasty-looking.) It’s real and I’m allergic to it. Corn smut tends to hit the air around late August and early September when the farmers start to  harvest the sweet corn. Oh, and did I mention that there is a corn field right across the street from our house? Yeah.

Corn smut is a delicacy in Mexico, though, and a pricey one. It has a fancy name – huitlacoche – and people eat it. Let’s just call it…Mexican truffles. Because it’s a fungus, friends. But I digress.

What all of that adds up to is that I’ve been down for the count this week, but I’m not missing out on the opportunity to post my TToT, especially because today is the Fab Hub’s birthday!!! I can’t think of a better topic for a list of reasons to be thankful.

And so, in honor of the Fab Hub/s birthday, I’ve enlisted Kidzilla’s help to compose a list of ten reasons we’re thankful for our Fab Hub/Fab Dad. See if you can tell which ones are Kidzilla’s contributions!

Reasons Why We are Thankful for Our Fab Hub/Fab Dad

His jokes are funny. If you’ve heard his jokes, you know that his sense of comedic timing is rarely good. But Kidzilla thinks he’s hysterical – as it should be. But in all fairness, I’d have to agree that he is always able to make us laugh, especially when things are getting way too serious and it is a smart idea to do so.

He gives the best hugs ever. Period.

He makes awesome macaroni and cheese. He does. OK, his specialty is indeed the kind that comes from a box, but he has a magic touch with the stuff and it always turns out just right. And mac and cheese dates have become a very special thing for the Hub and Kidzilla, so it’s kind of hard to argue with something that strengthens the father/daughter bond.

He is patient. Anyone who has spent any amount of time with either me or Kidzilla (or  both of us at the same time) knows that we have personalities that may, at times, try the patience of a saint. We mean well, but we are pretty high-maintenance. The Hub is eternally patient with us and, in truth, the world in general. He plays lengthy games of just about anything Kidzilla dreams up. He manages to put up with me and my occasionally hysterical personality quirks. He’s the kind of guy that doesn’t complain about long lines in traffic or grocery stores. He is easy-going and takes life in stride.

He is kind. The Hub is by far one of the kindest human beings I have ever met. He is pleasant and nice to people and it is absolutely genuine about it. I have seen him in situations where he objectively had good cause to react negatively or harshly and he simply does not. In all things, he is a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. I read somewhere once that how a person treats animals is a big indicator of how they treat people. I don’t know if there’s any scientific basis to it, but he is as gentle and caring as can be with any animals he meets and he really loves the Rotten Cats. If that is an indicator of his personality with humans, then the next item on our list is a no-brainer.

He is a wonderful husband and father. There is no question that he adores his girls. Kidzilla says he’s a good dad “because he loves me.” She’s right. Elaborating on that point alone would take up pages and pages of space, but it’s the number one reason why he is such a great husband and father – he loves us. And that love is what drives all the rest. He is hands-on with everything about Kidzilla. He shares equally (sometimes more than) in the responsibilities and chores that keep our home and family running. He knows and understands both me and Kidzilla inside out. He takes care of bugs and cleans up all manner of messes produced by kids or cats in our house. The list goes on and on…

He is calm. The Fab Hub has a very laid-back personality. He is pretty unflappable – sometimes frustratingly so. It’s kind of like Agent Mulder from The X Files when he explains to Agent Scully about his panic face:

SCULLY: I saw your face, Mulder. There was a definite moment of panic.

MULDER: You’ve never seen me panic. When I panic, I make this face.

(Mulder’s face registers no emotion.)

SCULLY: That was the face.

MULDER: You didn’t see that face.

That’s the Fab Hub. In addition to being calm, he keeps things in perspective. For example, when ribbed about turning 40, he says things like “age is just a number.” It’s a great mindset, really. Reminds me a lot of how my Grandfather saw things. And it’s a great trait because I am so completely the opposite of that personality. It makes for good balance in our relationship which is beneficial in so many ways.

He is tougher than he looks. On the surface, the Hub may appear to be a guy who isn’t bothered by much and just kind of goes with the flow. That’s true to a point. More often than not, he really does take things in stride. He is a kind and gentle soul. Sometimes with that kind of personality, it’s easy to imagine that a person wouldn’t stand up and fight for themselves, or for a cause, or whatever. But the Hub has a quiet strength about him that is unfailing. In situations where he could just give up and let circumstances drag him down, he stands firm in his resolve to make the best of a situation.

He is logical. This may be one part of him that kind of drives me insane, but it really is a gift. The Hub is always able to look at a situation or problem for what it is and nothing more. He examines the facts, looks at the reality, and figures out how to proceed. He doesn’t let emotional overreaction cloud his judgment. Again, this is very much the opposite of me, so it’s one of the things that make us work.

OK, this last one is a catch-all, because I have to wrap it up somehow. The Hub is intelligent – just objectively, he is one heck of a smart guy. The Hub reads – all sorts of things. He learns – on purpose and just for the sake of knowledge. He is an excellent strategist – in games of any kind or in real life, he is able to think his way through a situation. He is a gifted and talented musician and composer – he’ll humbly insist he’s nothing special, but if you’ve heard his music, you know.

There are so many more reasons to be thankful for the Fab Hub/Fab Dad…too many to number. And for all of those reasons, Kidzilla and I just love him like crazy.

Happy Birthday Fab Hub/Fab Dad!

Love, your Girls.

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Ten Things of Thankful