Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

We don't do much to celebrate ,which always seems to get my poor Geddy in hot water with the women at work. As I've said before, I'm not too sentimental, so I never get my feelings hurt if I don't have a dozen roses on my doorstep come Valentine's afternoon. In fact, I'm more likely to calculate how many weeks' worth of groceries the money spent on flowers would buy.

Sick, I know.

But I have a husband who never criticizes. He does dishes and scrubs the shower. He watches silly TV shows with me and teaches math to our sixth-grader. He takes us to church and participates himself. He reads books about how to be a better husband and father. He loves my grandmother.

This could go on for awhile, so suffice it to say that I get Valentine's love every day of the year, and this one day doesn't change anything.

That said, we are planning a couple of special treats for the whole family. We are having grilled steak, baked potatoes, rolls, salad and possibly corn on the cob for dinner tonight. For dessert, ginormous strawberries with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and/or powdered sugar for dipping. Afterward, Nannie's famous cookies.

After Bible and math today, the children are going to make cards to exchange. They will each get a Snickers bar and a box of conversation hearts from their daddy and me.

Hopefully, the evening will be a nice celebration of our love for each other, and not just a dutiful gift exchange between a husband and wife who try to show their love every day instead of saving it up for one day a year.

I'm better for the smile you give

Geddy called me last night on the way home from Bible study. I was at a homeschool meeting, but I was very glad he called because he just wanted to tell me that he was thinking about me and "our song" was on the radio.

Long ago, in my other life, I dated a boy with problems. He was my first serious relationship and I loved him even though he was cruel to me. We were supposed to be engaged, but he finally did one too many things wrong, and then Geddy came into my life and I learned about forever love. Geddy and I were married 10 months later, nearly 15 years ago.

"Our song" is a quite beautiful one by Genesis called Follow You Follow Me. This is my favorite part:

I can say
The night is long but you are here
Close at hand, oh I'm better for the smile you give
And while I live

I will follow you will you follow me
All the days and nights that we know will be
I will stay with you will you stay with me
Just one single tear in each passing year there will be

I'm really not a very sentimental person, but whose heart wouldn't melt at that?