My Funny Valentine

Last week, I stared in amazement at the calendar and realized that Aaron and I would be celebrating our 10th Valentine's Day together. 

How did that happen??

I still feel like that young, twenty-something-year-old girl (well, every now and then), but that's neither here nor there . . .

In reflecting on our celebration this year, I've had to sit back and chuckle at the difference between now and 10 years ago:

This year, there was no card, no flowers, and no chocolate (although the no chocolate was per my own request!). There was no reservation at a fancy, stuffy restaurant serving price-fixed meals at an exorbitant rate.

Instead, we simply decided to go see a movie, something that--like so many people delighted in telling us would happen--we haven't done in a long time. All day long on Friday, I was filled with excitement and anticipation at our impending date night!! And though I told Aaron that I wanted to keep Valentine's Day low-key this year, like any girl whose watched too many chick flicks, I secretly hoped he would lavish all kinds of surprises on me throughout the day.

No such luck.

Turns out, when you tell your practical and very busy husband that you don't want flowers or chocolate, guess what? You're not going to get flowers and chocolate. Seriously, people, Hollywood has messed us up in regards to expectations! As I write that sentence, I am literally laughing at myself, that I was disappointed in not receiving flowers this year, after telling my husband not to worry about it.

Aaanyway, as the evening unfolded, it proved to be its own comedy of errors. Aaron got stuck in clinic and was running late. The traffic was a total nightmare. We arrived at the theater, only to discover that the Fandago machine was broken, so we still had to wait in line to pick up our pre-purchased tickets!

As we finally settled into the very back row, far right corner of the theater, crammed in next to a couple of sullen strangers, we couldn't help but burst out in an inappropriate, stare-inducing chuckle (from the aforementioned sullen strangers) at how the night had gone thus far.

After the movie, with time running out for our sitter, we decided to grab a quick bite at the not-so-hopping Hoppy Brewing Company. For a moment, you would have thought it was a "men's only" night, as the vast majority of patrons consisted of groups of guys drinking beer and pretending not to watch the men's Olympic figure skating that played in the background.

I held back laughter as I covered my growing belly with my jacket and tried my best not to crack when ordering a margarita (relax, folks, I had 2 sips--Aaron finished it). We both laughed until we cried over the pulled pork sliders that were so spicy hot, I'm quite certain they could have set a small pile of kindling on fire. And as the clock neared 10 pm, both of us yawning like kindergartners in need of a nap, we happily paid our bill and headed home--the place we wanted to be the most :-).

That's real life, folks. It was a simple night out, one without fanfare and fru-fru. It was just what I'd asked for--uninterrupted time out with my husband. Yet the expectations of the almighty "Valentine's Day" tempted my heart to feel frustration and discontentment over not receiving elaborate flowers and gifts, etc. That tiny seed of discontentment could easily have grown and overshadowed the one thing that really mattered--being together and connecting with one another.

As always, I'm so thankful for my mom, whose wisdom and encouragement never cease to provide clarity and perspective. We discussed how easily Satan can use something like the trappings of Valentine's Day to stir the pot of self-focus. And how silly! Like so many holidays in our modern society, we tend to lose the true meaning in the midst of all the "to do's."

So this Valentine's Day will be one we reflect on with humor, more so for what it wasn't than for what it was. And whether my husband is surprising me with beautiful pearls (one of his best and most surprising gifts through the years!), or sending lovely flowers to my work, or simply working his hardest to make it home in time for us to catch a movie together--I am thankful to have had him as my valentine for all these years . . . and hopefully for many more to come!

Blessings,

~Mere