My Favorite Valentine Memory

Ah Valentine's Day....a day for all sappy romantic hearts, flowers, and candies to come out.  

To be honest, I'm not a huge Valentine's Day fan.  I could really live with or without it.  I find it more romantic for my husband to send me flowers on June 1 rather than the expected February 14.  But, I don't want to be left out of getting "lovey" items.... I know, I'm a pain!!

I have a lot of Valentine's Day memories.  Starting way back from elementary school.  But my favorite was 10 years ago.

That was the day my husband asked me to marry him.  Picture it, Miami, 2003.....

My husband and I had been dating for 10 months.  It was our first Valentine's Day together.  Instead of going out and waiting in lines to eat, we decided that we would have dinner at my apartment.  I was making lobsters and shrimp cocktail.  Instead of a bought gift, I made him a PowerPoint presentation (I know I'm a nerd) with pictures of us set to music.  I lifted the words from the children's book Sleepytime Rhyme by Remy Charlip.  It uses words like "I love you to the east, I love you to the south..."  You get it.

I was so excited, but the bugger was late.  I called his cell phone and he didn't answer.  Mad.  I called his house and his brother said he left 20 minutes ago (he lived less than 3 miles from me).  Madder.  The lobsters were becoming overcooked.  Even madder.  

When he arrived, he was out of breath and hurried in.  He was carrying a red carnation wrapped in a Publix bag with a latex balloon tied to it.  In his other hand, he had a box of Turtles chocolates.  Now, if you know anything about me, I hate all of those things.  I'm not a snob by any means (ok, maybe a little), but a carnation?  Really?  My 4th grade boyfriend gave me that.  And a latex balloon?  He couldn't spring the extra dollar for the mylar?  And don't even get me started on the Turtles....

So I thanked him for the effort and put everything on the counter.  I whisked him into my room to show him the presentation (you can stop laughing now).  He kept telling me to eat a Turtle.  I didn't want one (yuck) and we needed to eat.  

I was putting the lobsters on the table and he kept bugging me about the damn Turtles.  FINE!  I'll eat one....

When I picked up the box, it was a little heavy.  I thought he put a copy of My Big Fat Greek Wedding in it (it's what I wanted).  Instead, was a little yellow box.  

When I popped open the little box, I caught a glimpse of the bottom of my ring.  I quickly turned around to find him on his knee.  I immediately started crying.  I'll be honest, I have NO IDEA what he said to me...everything went quiet.  I just remember crying and hugging him.  

Then as I called my whole family, I was too nervous to eat....so he ate my lobster!

Here we are 10 years later, two kids, and many more Valentine's Days to come.  I'll keep him!


What is your favorite Valentine memory? 



Alexis