Valentines Day

If my memory serves correctly (it usually does) and my math is right (that's up for debate) this is the 20th Valentines Day that Bryan and I have spent as a couple. Granted, the first 2 were while he was on his mission. But the cards and cute little gifts melted my heart all the same, despite the fact that I had to receive them through the mail instead of in person.

We went to lunch this afternoon while the older kids were in school and Lilian was at playgroup. After 17 years of marriage and 4 kids....ANY alone time constitutes romance in my book. After eating at Paradise Bakery we did a little grocery shopping. Costco was doing a brisk business...the place was swarming with guys holding bouquets of flowers. Made me smile. I make it hard for Bryan to buy me flowers seeing as I tend to buy them for myself fairly regularly throughout the year. His plans today, however, did include his own trip to Costco to join those flower buying hordes of men. "A happy wife equals a happy life".... so stated the quote on the board in Elders Quorum yesterday afternoon, he tells me. :) So since we were there together, he let me pick out my own flowers. How cool is that?

For years we have celebrated Valentines Day more as a family holiday. Long ago Bryan and I decided that trying to get a babysitter and also a table at a decent restaurant on the big day was next to impossible. So we have a fancy dinner at home...kids and all. Fancy china, fancy meal, fancy dessert. And a great meal it was...roast, potatoes, carrots and broccoli. Even red velvet cake for dessert. (Don't be too impressed...the cake was from Costco.) But the kids have now finally gone to sleep. Looks like it's time to take the celebration down the hall to the back bedroom...
Happy Valentines Day!