A Mustache For Armitas...

For any of you who know me very well, you know that I have a thing for well-manicured facial hair on a cowboy.  I don't know... perhaps it has something to do with my love for western movie actors such as Sam Elliott in Tombstone, Tom Selleck in the Sackett movies, or Tommy Lee Jones & Robert Duvall in Lonesome Dove... or perhaps it is just because the tall drink of water I'm privileged to call my husband pulls it off so well.   There is just something distinguished about it and I find it extremely appealing to the eye on a handsome man. 

That being said, Greg has had a mustache for nearly 6 years.  He has shaved it on two occasions that I can remember, but after just a short time it always came back.  Our children have both spent the majority of their little lives knowing their father to have a nice set of handlebars.  Well, the night before last, Greg asked me what I thought about him shaving.  I winced as I thought about it and he could sense my hesitancy to even give an answer.  He knew how I felt... the weird relationship I had developed with this inanimate piece of him and how I felt it fit his face like a last essential brushstroke on a work of art.  ((Funny... I know this!!))  He just said he was ready for a change and I left the bathroom hoping the thought would pass.  I should know my husband better than that after nearly 12 years.  I laid in bed and hesitated to look... and to my amazement, the guy from my young wedding pictures walked out of the bathroom. ;)  I thought, "Hey, I know you!" 

I love that Greg is a man who continually likes to keep things interesting and does not let himself become complacent... even in little matters of personal grooming. :)  Most of all, I love that the longer we are married, the more I deeply fall in love with and am even more attracted to this guy.

Last night we had a little get-together at our house with a few families from the area and from our branch.  In planning, one of the guys suggested that everyone bring their "trading gear".  In the buckaroo world, many nearly have an obsession with trading.  Guys carry around bags full of gear such as bits, ropes, mecates, bosals, spurs.... you name it.  They keep it all handy just in case the opportunity to trade them for something they've truly been desiring presents itself.  It's always so funny how something that is quite useless to one man is a complete treasure to another and they are able to both come away feeling like they came ahead.  Well, Greg had arranged a trade with a new friend of ours here in the branch for some custom-made armitas some time ago.  Last night the trade came to fruition and I love the way they turned out.  I just hope to get a few pictures of them at a branding BEFORE they are quickly not so white anymore.  What a fun night with these families... we need to do it MUCH more often.