life in my cookie jar: Valentines Day: It's not so bad after all.

I used to hate Valentines Day with a serious passion. I can't remember a single time that holiday ever went well. I even own a black t-shirt that has "I hate Valentines Day" in red letters across the front.

However, after years of dreading the lovely holiday, I had an amazing experience for once! But it wasn't even on February 14th. It was two days early. Why? Well, I had to work Saturday night, and since Valentines Day falls on a Sunday we can't exactly go out and make a big celebration of our love and spend lots of money that day. So for us, Valentines day was observed on February 12th, instead of the 14th. I think the big deal about this is that I actually celebrated it.

I had to work on Friday, from 1:30 until 4:30pm. I called Bob when I got off work to see if he wanted to pick me up as usual. He said he couldn't, which was fine. I don't mind walking a bit, especially with how beautiful the weather has been. He also asked me to check the mail on my way inside. So I started walking, enjoying the fact that I knew Bob was up to something.

I got to our house and walked around the corner to where our mail box is attached to the side of the house. I noticed something red on top of it. I realized it was a rose petal. And I just started smiling. I opened up the lid and looked inside to find more rose petals and a couple of small red gift-wrapped packages. I pulled them out, knowing full well that they were both some kind of chocolate (and Bob has classy taste in chocolate--these weren't Hershey or even Dove chocolate bars). I turned around and walked down the stairs toward our front door, and saw another rose petal on the door knob (I think every time I saw another one I smiled even wider than I already was).

As I opened the door I saw a trail of rose petals into the bedroom, and Bob was still in there, not quite ready for me to be home yet and still getting something ready. I said hello to him and said I was getting something to drink first (because I'm really bad at keeping myself hydrated anyway) and went to the kitchen to get a glass of grape juice (not wine but about as romantic as a non-alcoholic drink can be). Bob came out after a minute and hugged and kissed me. I don't remember what all our conversation consisted of, because I was just way too enthralled by the fact that someone had done something so sweet for me already.

But he wasn't finished yet. He walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a gorgeous bouquet of flowers! I can't remember the last time anyone bought me flowers (unless it was myself for my wedding). There were three roses (one for each month we've been married), two stems of beautiful white orchids (similar to what was in my wedding bouquet), and some pretty green leafy stuff to fill it all in. I couldn't believe all the thought that went into that simple, small bunch of flowers. Bob then talked me into opening up my chocolate to see what kind it was (which really didn't take much talking into). The smaller one was some delectable orange flavored chocolate. Appropriate, I think. I opened the other one and it was some Chuao chocolate, made with cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Bob had bought some of that for me last year for Valentines Day, so I think it's becoming a tradition now (which, I really don't have a problem with at all).

Then I followed the trail of rose petals, which didn't just end abruptly, but led to our bed, which was pretty much covered in sweet smelling rose petals. I thought stuff like that only happened in movies. But really, I've got a romantic husband who spoils me quite well. Yes, we're newly-weds still, but I'm gonna live that up for as long as I can, which I honestly feel like will never really wear off. For four years now, just the thought of Bob makes my heart beat faster, and when I see him it's like a mass of butterflies is released into my stomach and I feel giddy like a girl with her first crush, and when he holds me... Well, my poor excuse for a vocabulary cannot even begin to express how that makes me feel. It's like I have this void I never knew I had is suddenly filled, because we fit so perfectly into each others arms. I feel more whole than I ever have before.