My friends have been talking this year about Valentine's Day: what do you buy for your husband? do you even give him a gift? is celebrating Valentine's Day anything but obligatory?
In the past The Hubs and I have had some memorable Valentine's Days. When we dated in high school, he bought me a heart-shaped locket (TOTALLY high school!) and we went to see the re-release of "Return of the Jedi" in the movie theaters. Dating again in college, our first Valentine's Day was during the period of time when we hadn't had the DTR (Define The Relationship), so he gifted me with a red carnation (a flower, but not a flower that is too commited) and a sweet note. One married Valentine's Day, we went to the mall, put each person on a $25 budget, and shopped for each other for a half an hour. We met back up and exchanged gifts over an Orange Julius.
As I surveyed this list in my mind a few weeks ago, I determined that 1) all my favorite memories include gifts and 2) I cannot remember how I celebrated HIM those days, but only how I was made to feel special. So this year was going to have a new focus. For Pinkalicious, we were going to make treats for friends, make Valentine's for family, make dessert for Daddy, and have lots of fun! For The Hubs, I would make his favorites: omlettes for breakfast, lunch at Panera, make seafood alfredo for dinner, dessert from Pinks and me, and a special note about why he is my favorite.
This grandiose plan started to run awry on February 4, when I received a call from school that Pinky had an intestinal malfunction and needed to go home. From that point her stomach flu was passed around to three of us. Then she came down with the real flu on Monday and despite flu shots, it is being passed around to the four of us, with The Hubs and I getting it on February 11. My plans have been foiled. All I have to show for my Valentine's efforts are bags of groceries and crafts, and a copy of
Goldalicious, the third book in the
Pinkalicious Series for my Pinkalicious.
Reflecting on this list of failure, I scavenged my mind for anything I could do to make tomorrow special. I have decided to do what I can. Although we are both riddled with fevers, aches, and exhaustion, I will let him sleep in and nap as much as he can. I will nurse him. I will not ask for my turn to rest or be resentful in doing what needs to be done. I will put his needs before my own, and be happy in it. This Valentine's Day, I will celebrate love by excercising love.
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