Day #132 - My Valentine

I am a day late reporting on the BIG V-Day (expected I suppose). I read my sisters Blog and wished I had written mine first...too many thoughts flying around my head now.

M started out with "I am not a lover of Valentine's Day"...I am a TOTAL proponent of the day in question. I agree it is a commercial farce...why do we need a day to tell us to say "I love you"? Unfortunately, maybe we do need the reminder. I also agree that the fewer expectations one has on a day like V-Day, the BETTER. Expectations in general are a dangerous proposition, but not more so then on Valentine's Day.

I have done so many things over the years for Travis, who HATES Valentines Day!!! Still I persisted for years: hand made coupon books, love letters, stuffed animals, flowers, food/candy and a few years ago I got a ginormous 'I love you' balloon shaped like a gorilla to deliver to his office - kind of like a singing telegram. I lost my nerve and just gave it to him at home after he made it clear I was NOT to do ANYTHING for V-Day.

I think I finally realized I was projecting my Valentines Day expectations onto Travis and decided it was OK if he didn't want a big deal to occur and I should stop expecting the day to mean as much to him as it apparently does to me. I did set the expectation a few years ago very clearly that I want a card EVERY year. Travis always writes the best cards - it is how I fell in love with him, reading his chicken scratch, I adore it and I ALWAYS love the cards he gets me and he always writes the best things.

I have been thinking about what makes the day important to me? My sister wrote about one year on Valentine's Day how the door bell rang at home and we all ran to the door and on the front porch sat 6 cookie sheets, one for each of us, loaded with goodies and presents. WOW, HOW EXCITING! So unexpected and unnecessary, BUT we BOTH remember that Valentine's Day and it is a happy memory.

I also think the public display that a person is thinking about you can be a powerful boost - those flowers sitting on your desk are a pretty big deal. More than a public display a personal effort performed specifically in the name of LOVE, designed to send a message - "I hear you" - "I value you" - "YOU are special to ME" - "Thank you for BEING" - is so valuable.

Several weeks ago I told Travis I would really like him to cook some scallops for me. I have this thing for them lately...it is like a mouth party every time I eat them. I got home from work yesterday, later then planned of course, and I walked into a romantic table and the smell of something delicious in the oven, which turned out to be potatoes, asparagus, fennel (?) and carrots roasting away. When those were nearly done in went the scallops - MMMMMMMMM...it was sooooo good, a perfect surprise and Trav's message got through loud and clear - "I hear you" - "I value you" - "YOU are special to ME" - "Thank you for BEING".

My smile was big and never ending last night and my heart is still full to bursting.

Thanks Babe - I Love YOU!

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away." Bil Keane

Some photos from the big dinner - all from the camera phone...come back my camera, come back. One lucky girl....That is me...