my handsome Valentine

I always write about Dad on Valentine's day and skip being mushy about my man. There are several reasons for this, the main one being that he won't read it here. So I spent the majority of today cleaning the house, changing the sheets on our bed from white cotton to red satin, placing a personal Valentine card with homemade coupons under his pillow and making a yummy dinner for the family. Aaron had to work late (which is okay because we over-celebrated this past weekend) but he still came home with a bouquet of flowers. I always tell him not to buy roses for me on Valentine's day because they are so overpriced. But he never obeys. He walked in with the mail in one hand and the flowers in another. His tie was loose and he looked tired from working too hard... which is just so--- attractive.

I love Aaron for a thousand and one reasons. Many of which I don't even realize or appreciate now. If he ever died, I don't know if I could manage living a single day without him-- and that is saying something because I have always been Mrs. Independent (and proud of it). But being married to him has changed me, most definitely for the best.

I love Aaron because even when he comes home from a long day, he clears the table after dinner and plays with the crazy baby and listens to ALL of the older boys go on and on about their exciting day even though I know he has other things to worry about. I love him because he stays up late and watches movies with the dog. He feels bad that he doesn't get to spend time with her and I love how cute he is with our little "girl". I love him because he goes home teaching every.single.month even when he already spends so much time serving others. I love him because he changes the screensaver to say things like, "Janet is HOT" and doesn't say a word about it. I love him because he is kind and caring and never gets mad (ever) not at me or the kids, even though we give him plenty of opportunities to lose his temper. I love him because he's practical and frugal and he doesn't care what other people think about him.

Our first kiss was Feb 3, 2000. Ten days later, we were spending our first Valentine's weekend together and were discussing which day in June to tie the knot. I was at school in ID, but drove down for the weekend to be with Aaron (and formally introduce him to my family). My parents were sly and threw a "birthday party" for my dad, but everyone knew it was so they could check out my soon-to-be husband. Aaron drove to my house in one of the ugliest cars I had ever seen. It looked like it had just come from the junk yard (and funny enough... it ended up there about 2 weeks later.) Aaron affectionately called this car "The Nig" even though it was a pretty blue color. He pulled up and brought in two bouquets of flowers... one for me and one for my mom. The men in the family told him it was a sweet move and he said that he'd "better start sucking up sometime." The dinner went great and my family fell in love. Afterward we exchanged Valentine gifts. I gave him a new laundry basket full of groceries. I had previously seen what was in his kitchen at his apartment and knew he needed a little help getting his cupboards stocked.

He gave me a sweet card and some chocolates and took me for a ride in The Nig. We went up to a shopping center just a few blocks from my parents home (Jordan Landing). We walked around for a little while in the cold and tried to avoid saying goodbye because we only got to see each other on the weekends. As we headed back to the car, there was a couple in front of us walking out of the movies. They were holding hands and headed to their car as well. Sure enough, just steps in front of us, the gentleman pretends to open the passenger door of The Nig and his date kind of stares in disbelief. Then he backs up and says, "Ha! Just kidding! As if I would ever be driving that car!" Aaron saw the whole thing happen and we laughed so hard about it... (and are still laughing). He never let it bother him or felt the least bit self-conscious when he bent down to open the passenger side door for me (and it almost fell off, jk.) He was never out to impress. He has always been himself and that is exactly what makes him so darn adorable. He sweeps me off my feet without even trying.

We've spent 12 Valentine's weekends together so far. He's written me a dozen cheesy poems over the years and spent more money on flowers than I want to add up. But things are not perfect. We are still sleeping on an old creeky bed-- one that was given to us for our wedding. And it aint a bed of roses, I can testify to that. Most of our candlelight dinners are spent with four silly (obnoxious) boys. We take moonlit walks at night, holding hands, but both of us are usually telling the dog to pee so we can get back inside. We have bills to pay and a minivan that needs to be taken to the junk yard. But we're happy and in love and that's the only thing that matters on Valentine's day. So even though he'll never read this, I want the world to know that I love and appreciate my man. He was handpicked for me and I am so glad he's mine. forever.