Happy Valentine’s Day! Am I on the ball or what? So I’m two days late. Meh, life goes on.

If it weren’t for the treats and cards my daycare darlings brought for our party, I would’ve thought the day was any other day.

There was a time in my life when I loved, I adored Valentine’s day. The romantic in me expected the whole shebang (is that even a real word)–hearts, chocolate, mushy cards, sweet nothings whispered in my ear. Yeah, well, life ain’t always hearts and roses, sweetheart.

Now before you raise your eyebrow (did you know not everyone can do that gesture? it’s true.) and whisper ‘cynic,’ let me say I still like Valentine’s Day, but I don’t think we need one day set aside each year to tell our loved ones how much we care for them. It should be a daily thing.

My wonderful hubby of 17 years has given me many many romantic gifts during the years we’ve been together. While we were dating, he wrote me a love note on a piece of white birch bark that he peeled off the tree during a fishing trip. Other gifts include a book of poetry he found in the airport gift shop on his way home to see me, jewelry, roses, candy.

Those things are wonderful and I’ll treasure them. But you know something? Nothing says I love you like making the bed after he’s crawled out of it. Or folding the basket of laundry I haven’t had time to finish. Surprising me with breakfast in bed for no occasion whatsoever.

Some of my favorite times are when I’m reading in bed and he lays next to me and we just talk. The phone isn’t ringing. The computers are shut down for the night. The boys are sleeping. The house is quiet except for the sounds of our voices and the steady pum-pum of his heart as I lay my head on his chest.

It’s no wonder when I’m looking for role models for my male characters that he comes to mind. His quiet strength, his voice of reason, his dry wit, not to mention sexy legs. 😀 Hey, it’s my blog. I’m allowed to say sexy.

This tall, gorgeous Marine captured my heart the first time I laid eyes on him half a lifetime ago and I thank God daily that he hasn’t wanted to let it go.

P.S. I’m adding a footnote to this post several days later for a couple of reasons.

As a romance writer, I’m all for romance. I’m not a Valentine scrooge or anything. In fact, hubby and I celebrated the holiday the Saturday evening prior with a couples dinner. We had a lovely evening with another couple and dined on chicken cordon bleu and black forest cake. 😀 In fact, hubby told the story behind my marriage proposal and I took home a rose.

For Valentine’s Day, I asked hubby not to buy me flowers that would be tripled in price for one day and I asked for no chocolate as I’m trying to lose a pound or two or three… The great guy that he is, he obliged my request and got me a ticket to a cooking show that’s coming to our town. I was thrilled with my gift.

Just felt the need to clarify a few points.