Valentines Day 2012

I used to really hate Valentines Day. It was mostly because I'd never had very good experiences around that holiday. It started in about 4th grade. This kid named Jason had a huge crush on me, and everybody knew it. I didn't like him back, not even as a friend. He was really annoying and seemed to always say the wrong thing at the wrong time (poor kid!).

Valentines Day that year rolls around and I'm sitting on the school bus on the way to school that morning, minding my own business and looking out the window. We get to his stop and on he gets with a huge heart-shaped balloon, a big chocolate heart, and the goofiest grin on his blushing face. I tried to hide so he wouldn't see me, but at the last second of me sinking down in my seat he makes eye contact with me and rushes straight over to where I was sitting with my friends. He then proceeded to sing a song to me--I think he wrote it himself. All of my friends were laughing at him, and I felt really embarrassed for the poor guy because he made such a fool out of himself. I just wanted him to stop, but it seemed to go on forever!

I don't remember how the rest of that bus ride went, but it was then that I started disliking Valentines Day. I knew more dorky guys would do stupid stuff to try and impress me as I got older, especially on that dang holiday. I didn't want to have to sit through more of those experiences, knowing all along that I'd turn down the majority of them because I just wasn't interested in dating any of them. I hate hurting people's feelings, and one sure way to do that is to break a guy's heart after he pours it out for all to see. But the idea of dating someone just because of sympathy was even worse in my head, because I'd end up dumping him sooner or later anyway because I was never interested in the first place.

In high school, every year I wore a black shirt with red letters that read, "I HATE VALENTINES DAY," yes, in capital letters just like that. I wore it through college too.

And then I met Bob, and as often as he made a fool out of himself, I somehow found it to be more and more endearing every time. It helped that he was just as outgoing, funny, and into extreme sports as I was. He was better at snowboarding and rock climbing than me, and he knew how to surf. Those were major turn-ons in my head. He made it obvious from the start that he liked me, so there were no mind games and no wondering where we stood because if either of us wondered, we'd talk about it.

He knew my distaste for Valentines Day from the start, and he made it a point to change my mind on it. He was successful in his endeavor, because now I love it. I love that there's a day set aside every year for us to pause in our busy, hectic lives and remind ourselves about who we love and how much we love them.

This year, we've been busy taking care of our house, cleaning, getting rid of things, fixing things, and trying to have fun here and there too. Even on Valentines Day evening we were cleaning. But Bob knew that would happen, and he planned for it (even if he planned last-minute).

He came home for lunch, and I had just gotten dressed and fixed my hair for the day (yes, I had just gotten out of bed at noon). I heard him walk in the front door, and as I rounded the bathroom doorway and into the hall Bob popped up out of nowhere singing L-O-V-E, a bouquet of orange roses in one hand and a box of Eclispe Chocolat Truffles in the other. I laughed and watched him for a few seconds--his smile, the look in his eyes as he looked back at mine, and just soaked in the short moment before I hugged him and then slow danced with him until he finished the song.

He's so fun!

The roses Bob gave me for Valentines Day.

They're so pretty!

That evening we ate dinner (plus, shout out to our friend Amber for letting me bring her dinner and the makings for a decadent chocolate mug-cake!), cleaned up our room (romantic, I know), and then showered before 9pm so we could have some time together before going to sleep. Some of my favorite time I spend with Bob is when we just lay next to each other talking about nothing in particular. I get to hold his hand, look into his eyes, hear him laugh, and soak up every feature about his handsome face. I sure love that man. I understand how lucky of a girl I am to have him, to be so in love with him, and to know that he's so in love with me.

The following day, the last of my Valentines Day/early birthday present arrived....

On Monday I saw a FedEx truck drive past the house and I jumped out of bed and waited at the window to see if it was going to come back around and stop at our house. It didn't, and I was totally bummed out. Then, on Wednesday afternoon I heard the doorbell ring. I anxiously jumped up and looked out the window to see a FedEx van parked outside on the street. I squealed and ran to the front door as quickly as my pregnant belly would let me, swung it open, signed my name on a line, and took a box from the delivery guy. I dashed back to my bedroom giggling and completely giddy with excitement.

My Valentines Day gifts from Bob.

Inside was my beautiful new camera, more perfect than I even imagined. I immediately inspected all of the parts, then put it together and turned it on. (I think I laughed in a some-what evil manner when I did that.) I then read the entire first section of the manual to familiarize myself with it so I can get to using it asap.

My Canon Rebel!!

I can't wait to get more practice with this camera!