Happy Valentine's Day (Mark)

As the days approached to Valentine's Day, needless to say I was apprehensive. You see, I have been out of the "relationship game" for a good 15 years now. i.e., the entire time I've been married to The Wife. Even while we were dating, Feb. 14 never took on any other meaning than just another day on the calendar, as The Wife doesn't tend to recognize these publicly acclaimed holidays and instead tends to weigh their religious overtones. So she'd rather go to Mass, read a verse on the life of St. Valentine, and say a family rosary then blow $100 on candy and a dinner.

So I was trying to gauge Jen as Valentine's Day approached. And as with most all the major holidays, Jen holds them very close to her heart. No, she doesn't need to spend a king's ransom for gifts or a night out on the town. But more importantly, she wants to spend them with the people she loves. And on Valentine's Day, the man she loves. Can't say I blame her .... :) When you hear the term "down to earth", that describes Jen to a tea. It's one of the many things that attracted me to her, and it's one of the many things that overwhelmed me with the desire to spend the rest of my days with her. Yes, she places a high priority on holidays like these, but her heart is in precisely the right place -- with her family and the ones she loves most. And words can't describe how lucky I am to have earned a place in that loving heart of hers.

So we broached the topic the other day after a morning of passionate love-making. And I was quite relieved at her suggestion, something that I hadn't thought of. Yes, let's not acknowledge this day until we can spend it the right way -- in each others arms and belonging to no one else but each other. Yes, we exchanged heart-felt cards, but nothing more than that. While of course we'll greet each other with a "Happy Valentine's Day!!" when we sign onto our Instant Messenger sessions in the morning, but there will be no clandestine meetings down at the marina where we exchange gifts or anything like that. I thought about suggesting that, but to be completely honest, it just didn't feel right.

So when we do this, we're going to do it right ... And that day can't come soon enough.

Happy Valentines Day, Jen ... I love you, and here's to Feb. 14th, 2011.....