Valentines Day Together

Each year - we talk about what we're going to do for Valentine's Day. We do this because way back in our second year of marriage we went to Maui over Valentine's Day and we said since we were taking this wonderful trip there was no need for gifts. Well, I didn't know that no gifts also meant no cards. So I got a card to give to my Love, but he didn't have one to give. Which was no big deal to me, but really upset him. So each year we lay out the "ground" rules.

Dinner, cards, but no gifts.

A trip, cards, but no gifts.

Cards, and gifts.

Whatever it may be.

So this year we said dinner and cards. No gifts. So we had the privilege of going to dinner at Ruth's Chris. If you've never been to a Ruth's Chris, let me just tell you - your missing out. It is THE BEST steak I've EVER eaten. There is none better. They have a wide variety of other lovely things on the menu, besides filet, but I wouldn't know if they were any good or not, cause I ALWAYS get a steak when we go there! I'm sure they are, but I've never had anything other than steak.

So we got to go for a wonderful, romantic dinner (here's the best part) all using a gift card! Some friends gave it to us as a thank you for keeping their son back in January! So it was the perfect time to use it. Cause going to Ruth's Chris is only for special occasions. Birthdays, anniversaries, Valentines Day - that kinda thing. It was really a special evening!

It was more special because we went on Sunday evening and David had been gone all weekend for business. So he arrived home, unpacked, changed his cloths and off we went! It was a really wonderful way to spend the evening.

We decided to wait until the actual day to exchange cards and do that as a family! So before dinner we all presented our cards to each other. It was so fun! Each year when David gets the kids card for me, he traces their hands in it. I love that!! He said this year, that next year he'll have to get 2 different cards as both their hands probably won't fit on one card next year! That's a very special thing he does for me, and I just love it!

Also this year, for the very first time in all the years we've been together, David (actually he got them for Luke to give me, cause Luke went to David before he left for the weekend concerned that he had nothing to give me (TOO SWEET!).) got me chocolates!

Surprised? I mean that's a pretty commen gift to give at Valentines, right? Yes, normally it is!
But if you know me well, you know that chocolate really isn't my favorite, but what I do LOVE is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And that's what he got me! A heart shaped box of the mini ones, and my goodness are they good! Not too good for the waist, but yummy for sure! Since he'd never given me chocolate before, I asked about it. I said, "you know in all the years we've been together, you've never gotten me chocolate before!" to which he replied... "I never found the good ones to give you before!" I chuckled and I loved the candy even more!

This was a really great Valentine's Day (or 2 days really) for me this year. It was simple, and special and it had all the things I really love. A nice quiet dinner with my man, with coffee and dessert after, sweet cards from my kids, complete with traced hands, a card of love from the Love of my life, and time together!

We ended the day with our second annual Valentines Dinner. Pink pancakes and fruit salad. I even let the kids have some Sprite colored with red food coloring. It was fun! They love pancakes and it's fun to do something different!

I hope that on Valentine's Day you felt loved. For me this year, it wasn't about getting a piece of jewelry or going on a trip, it was about simply being with the ones I love the most. And all day on Monday - and actaully each morning since then I've read and repeated the verse below. Let it warm your heart.

Psalm 143:8

⁸ Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.