Hannah's Garage Sale Birthday Presents...

Since my 20-somethings were big kids, they have opted to get cash for birthdays and Christmas...with small gifts to open. 

Around that time, I somehow become clueless as to what they liked anyway, and when I found out something they DID like, it changed quicker than I was aware.

Cash worked for all of us. Green goes with everything, and it's one-size-fits-all.

Still, the mom in me WANTED to be able to shop for my children. I really needed to know what they liked, so I could bless them. I didn't like being a clueless mom.

But sometimes, my gifts were a bust. They sat in closets unworn, or got returned to the store, which was better than wasting the money spent. 

A few years back, when Hannah was planning to move to an apartment, or maybe it was her house in college, I found out she liked my decorating style. We were sitting in the den, looking at blogs and decor styles of how she wanted to decorate, and she said, "I want....that."  I looked up to the gallery wall behind the sofa, and said, "Well, you can't have that, but we can shop for items LIKE that, if you want."  

And so we did. And it became an opportunity for me to feel like a good mom again. I bought things I wanted to use in my own home, and Hannah liked them. 

It became a tradition for me to go to her new apartment or house and help her arrange furniture and decorate. I enjoyed it. She said kind things like, "How do you DO that? You can just look at a bunch of stuff and figure out how to put it all together so it looks good."

Moms love that kind of stuff. It was a great way to be a parent to a young adult. 

So this year for her birthday, the game had changed. She had a great job making a great salary in a city some distance away. The birthday cash would be...well...sort of a drop in a bucket. 

So I asked her if she'd rather have me shop for things for her house than getting cash. She said yes, which sounded like another win/win situation; I got to go to thrift stores and garage sales shopping for my favorite 23 year-old in the world. 

And sometime before too long, I'll deliver the goods to her, and we'll decide where they go in her house.

We'll spend a weekend arranging things, eating in restaurants, and probably shopping. We do that...my girl and I. Recreational shoppers, we are.

So until that weekend, I'm on a mission. 

I'm looking for elegant, industrial, transitional, metallic, neutral, cool stuff for my favorite young woman.

Word for the Day:

Psalm 37:25-26

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

Possibly Linking With:

Sunday

http://www.niftythriftythings.com/

Nifty Thrifty Sunday

http://thoughtsfromalice.blogspot.com/

Sundays at Home

Tuesday

http://www.knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/

Vintage Inspiration Tuesday

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

http://www.cedarhill-ranch.com/

The Scoop

http://www.astrollthrulife.net/

Inspire Me Tuesday

http://cityfarmhouse.com/

Inspiration Exchange Linky Party

Wednesday

http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/ 

What’s it Wednesday

http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com

Cottage Style Party

http://www.thethriftyhome.com/ 

Penny Pinching Party

Thursday

http://www.jannolson.blogspot.com/

Share Your Cup Thursday

Friday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ 

Feathered Nest Friday

http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/

Frugal Friday