It's that day!

Today is for lovin.

I have shifted between loving and hating this day my whole life. How silly. Just another day to hang thematic balloons and eat candy. Why the hate unless you have some sort of sugar intolerance or suffer from globophobia. If that’s the case, my condolences.

So I’ve embraced it.

Balloons? Check. In fact, check times 35 or so. Check, check, check.

Sugar? I’m prepared to go into a mild form of diabetic shock.

Hearts on our clothes? Not quite. I consider finding matching socks, regardless of the holiday depicted, a giant success in the wee hours of the morning.

We do have a yummy dinner planned. We’re not too fancy around these parts. Just a little Ella playing while we assemble a lasagna with our hands and then take it apart again at the table. If you think that was me trying to say eat in clever way, you’re wrong. I’m pretty sure Phin will dissect every layer and possibly request all intimate objects within throwing distance examine a piece. We’re working on it.  

But I love my people. I’m so lucky to wake up next to the person I click so well with. To feel adored. To know that despite the fact that we argue, we always want to make up and make out. Whoot. And my little wild thing? The destroyer of our house but owner of our hearts? So in love. This post is goopy for sure. A little too sweet when life is hard and people are facing hard things. Let the goop in my friends, even if for just a few minutes.  

I remember the very first time I met Jared. He tried to sell me to a bum for drugs. For reals. But the guy had nothing on him, so I got to stick around and it's been true love ever since.

We've been best friends and in love for almost nine years now. Nine is almost a decade but not quite so imagine it will feel sooo much diferent next year.

On our first date we bought a set of golf clubs from a thrift shop after telling the clerk they were his great grandfathers that were donated by mistake after he passed. We then snuck on to a golf course, were chased down by a guy in a golf cart because we were on the "championship course", driven over to the proper area and played a few holes before leaving. Neither of us golf, so to this day, we don't know whether you pay before or after you play. We didn't do either. Oohhhh, hellions!

This was that day.

I knew I would marry Jared the moment I met him. I can still see exactly what he looked like right then. I can still remember the first thing he said to me. I remember telling my parents that I was pretty sure I met the person I would spend my life with. He lived in a different city and was up visiting for a weekend. A friend introduced us. He quit his job the day he went home. He told his boss he met the girl he was going to marry. He didn't even have my phone number but he packed his Ford Falcon and moved to Reno.

Us in the olden days.

Having a newborn, specifically one with major sleep/ear issues, has definitely tested us (maybe we're wimps), but he still puts up with me. He is still my best friend. He still tells me how cute I look on holidays even if someone in the 3-5 group at the daycare behind me is wearing the same outfit. I didn't plan it that way, I swear.

I still can't believe I found a human in this giant, giant world that loves things that I love. Someone that is truly a puzzle piece that fits to mine. We find each other enchanting on the best days and in our marriage there have been more of those than not. I'm still so, so in love.

Yay for love and chocolate!

I love Valentine's Day. I'm all about love. Makes the world go 'round, right? It does, I checked. That and gravitational pull, but that doesn't get have a fancy holiday to celebrate it so whatevs. However there is a t-shirt if you're into that sort of thing. ugly shirt

I also happen to be a big fan of chocolate and flowers and lovely little things. Who doesn't like pretty things? People with dark souls that order black, comfortable dresses out of airplane catalogs and really do think that Trix are just for kids, so they don't count. I hate to admit it, but I used to be one of the haters, but that was just because I was in high school and nobody called my name to come to the office in between class periods to pick up flowers from a boyfriend or secret admirer or stalker. No one.

So I clung to the happier, more all inclusive holidays during the teen years, like St. Patrick's Day. Throw on a little green, eat some Lucky Charms, everyone is happy! Married folk don't even have to dread a giant display of green lingerie they'll be expected to shimmy into. Doesn't exist. Can you imagine trying to look sexy with four leaf clovers all over your derriere? Butt ruffles are bad enough. (That's last little bit is full of lies. I love all ruffles and I'm sure that clover butt undies do exist. But they shouldn't!)

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to a happy day of love this year because exactly 12 months ago I was in a sad place. A place where I was sure I had to eliminate my candy addiction because I had gestational diabetes. Except I didn't. A nurse at the office read the results wrong after I begged her to tell me over the phone instead of waiting to see the doctor the following week, after V day.

So when Jared gave me a platter of fruit dipped in chocolate I locked myself in my bedroom. When he presented me a hand drawn card with a gigantor pregnant chick on it that popped open to say "Happo Valentine's Day" because the y had to be made into a polka dot on the giant pregnant belly, I cried. Not exactly the reaction he was hoping for. I really was being a total brat. I was convinced that it should have been a magical last, just the two of us, holiday where Jared professed his loved and I looked cute and festive. Not like a pepto bismal bottle. Giant, pink with a little head/cap.

So this year is going to be low key. I just want to cook a yummy dinner at home while we listen to Sinatra because that's one of our favorite things. Phin can roll around on the floor and sample all of our cooking and even empty out the cupboards. However, I won't be opposed to Lesco giving me something like this. Cause I can totally eat sugar this year.

Hearts and stuff

I'm wearing red and pink today and totally feel like I'm getting away with something. Like I fast forwarded time to one of my favorite holiday color combos. Like everyone in the office is going to glare at me when flowers start pouring in from random people like the old guy in the ugly sweater who gave me eyes at the post office yesterday. Oh how kind Mr. Sweater.

I want to eat chocolates and complain about how this day is soo commercial when someone gives me a present. Even if that present is just a fax from some insurance agency or a coupon that came in the mail for half off chili cheese fries at the restaurant down the street.

I want to wear lacy underwear and have pretty hair. And by pretty I mean clean. Let us remember I have a full time job, a part time husband and a growing monster.

I might squirt red #40 in the water pitcher in the kitchen. I don't care if all my coworkers start suffering from adult ADHD and we develop a gluten intolerance. It's festive.