Betty Woods shares insight into her real-life romance, plus a chance to win a copy of her latest Historical Romance, Redemption’s Trail. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing for a print copy. Deadline: Jan 21st, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Betty:
One of the most romantic things my husband has done for me also made me cry. Our eighteenth wedding anniversary was coming up in March of 1992. We’ve always enjoyed celebrating our special day. But the small business we owned had been slow, so providing for the needs of two teenagers meant we didn’t have extra cents, much less extra dollars. We’d be practical and not give each other gifts. The strong love God had blessed us with was a priceless gift we couldn’t buy no matter how much money we might have to spend.
Our only extra mad money was what my husband was scrounging to restore the 1970 Dodge Challenger he’d owned since his senior year of high school. The car he drove while we were dating. Also the car that is in our wedding pictures when we drove off from the church after the wedding. Since the car was and is special to both of us, we agreed not to dip into his money. Only an unexpected dire emergency would justify touching his restoration nest egg.
The night of our anniversary, I was planning on burgers at our local Dairy Queen. We’d relive our broke newlywed days when going out for burgers was a royal treat. Before we left, Craig walked into the living room and handed me a small package. He couldn’t keep our bargain and had robbed his car money. I unwrapped the gift to find a box holding a pink sapphire drop necklace and matching small stud earrings. I hugged him and cried. He wasn’t the least bit bothered that I’d stuck to our plan and didn’t have a gift for him.
That set of jewelry is one of the simplest I own, Craig’s loving sacrifice to give me something special makes the set one of my most prized possessions. We still have his now-restored Dodge too. My special prince who roared up in a lime green muscle car for our first date is still my perfect inspiration for my romance novels with happy-ever-after endings.
Question for Readers: What was the best or most unexpected gift you’ve ever received?
About Betty: Betty writes heartwarming romance with a southern accent. She and her husband share their Texas home with a spoiled Chihuahua. She’s told or written stories since childhood. Spending hours reading firsthand historical accounts, wandering through museums or scrolling the internet for information on her make-believe nineteenth-century world are some of her favorite things to do. When living in the real world, she and her husband enjoy RV trips, especially if their adult children, grandchildren or great grands can come along. Learn more & connect:
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About the book – Redemption’s Trail:
Newly widowed with her second child due in a few months, Lily Johnson has nowhere to go until Toby Grimes, her husband’s late boss, asks her to stay on as housekeeper at his ranch. Remaining in the small house Mr. Grimes built for her and her husband is an answered prayer. But malicious gossips see her godsend job as a ruse for a sinful dalliance since her employer is a nice-looking single man.
God and a lot of others turned their backs on Toby during the war, so he returns the favor by keeping to himself. Yet the need to care for and protect Lily overwhelms him. The way she tugs at his heart scares him more than going into a losing battle.
Unwilling to allow anyone to destroy a fine woman’s reputation, Toby proposes a marriage of convenience. After much prayer, Lily accepts. Her first marriage was a love match made in heaven. The second leads down a trail only God knows. The peace she has concerning a marriage to a troubled man she doesn’t love begins a walk of faith to a destination neither she, nor Toby, can guess.
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My most romantic anniversary gift came in a similar fashion. We had pledged not to buy each other gifts for our 40th. He broke the promise and bought me a new wedding ring set, complete with a third band for the anniversary. I didn’t show any restraint though. After he gave me my rings, I bought him a trip to New Orleans to see his favorite NFL team, the Denver Broncos play an away game. One of our favorite trips ever. Broken promises are not always bad!
I agree. So nice when your husband thinks you’re worth something extravagant.
My favorite gift was a necklace from my husband. He bought me a tricolored jade pendant on a gold chain. It was special because he really put thought into it. It was about 1980, and I had recently “had my colors done,” He purchased the rust -colored (amber color) with ivory and celery colored jade because it would go with my new colors. Usually he would just go into a nice store and buy whatever on Christmas Eve.
My husband seems to innately know what looks good on me. Probably because in his own quiet way he pays a lot of attention to me.
I was very close to my maternal grandma and was devastated when she passed away. My aunt took a pair of her opal earrings (mine and Granny’s birthstone) and had pendants made for my sister and me. We also have purses that my mom had made from two pairs of my father’s boots. He passed away 5 years ago and they mean even more to us now.
Those are wonderful ideas. I have some treasured keepsakes from loved ones too.
When I was going through a difficult time, my dad suggested to my mom that they get me a necklace with a pendant engraved with a special message. It was a totally unexpected gift which became more treasured when my dad passed away.
Good to have you here, Betty. My favorite gift was my first laptop. I wasn’t published yet, so the expense didn’t seem worthwhile, but I wanted one so badly. When Christmas came, there were no gifts under our tree the right size. I was disappointed, but told myself we didn’t have the money and I didn’t need a laptop, I just wanted one.
Come Christmas eve, my parents brought their gifts to our house like they always do. We opened all our gifts, then my mom handed me one more. It was my laptop, I was crying and trying to hug my parents. But they quickly told me it was my husband. He’d hid it at their house and had them bring it so I wouldn’t figure it out. I cried and hugged him, then them too.
Besides just wanting it, it was affirmation that he believed in my writing.
my favorite gift was a little red truck my daughter gave me for Christmas for my collection
The best gift I ever received was actually my husband because we got married on my birthday and he was the best present ever!
I have a winner! Roxanne C won the drawing. I appreciate Betty for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.