From The Mud Puddle

I kept thinking this week I'd have a Valentine's day post. Valentine's Day came and went and that didn't happen...but the thoughts remain...

For whatever reason, this year, as Valentine's Day approached, I kept thinking about the first Valentine's Day that I spent with my husband. It happened before we were married, 21 yrs ago. We were either almost engaged or close to it by this point. I remember it snowed. It didn't snow a lot, but enough that it was pretty falling. I remember going to class that morning and then Jay drove me home after classes were over. We spent the afternoon together (as we usually did) before work. Jay bought me this cute Gund dog..with leather feet that was called "Ruff". I already had a little one...Jay bought me a larger one for Valentine's. It was sweet. So I had papa Ruff and a baby Ruff. Cute.

Flash forward to another Valentine's Day...This time the year is 1990. I was four months pregnant with our daughter Hannah. We were going to go out to eat after work. I was at this crossover point where I had outgrown most of my normal clothes...but still feeling a bit self conscious about wearing maternity clothes. I changed into one of my few outfits that fit out of my work jumper. I went to sit on the couch before we left. Ugg...I sat in something...something the dog did. I was so sad, so upset. In order to have SOMETHING to wear..I had to put back on my work jumper to go out. I'm not really sure what I wore the next day to work...but this certainly did not help me in the least feel good about myself. We ended up going to a couple of different restaurants before we settled on one (with a buffet at that) that didn't have a long line. We were tired, hungry and frustrated. I believe we went by my mom's before going all the way home for a few minutes since we were nearby. I can remember that Valentines with a smile though...it is funny in retrospect...just not as I was going through it at the time.

So many years though...we haven't made big plans. Lately however, he has been relearning the art of buying for his wife. This past Wednesday, he gave me a gift he had picked out. He thought I would enjoy it...he hoped I would anyway. He had been telling me about it for a month now....but I just wasnt sure I wanted/needed it. On Wednesday, after he gave it to me he made the comment , "I wanted it FOR you".

I have contemplated the thought of my husband wanting something "for" me. The thought made me think about how in the bible the marriage relationship between husband and wife is compared to the relationship Jesus has with His church. The comment made me think about how Jesus wants good for us, His bride, just as Jay wanted this for me.

So we wrapped up our day going to Golden Corral. Not overly exciting...but for us, it was like when we were first married and he was working as an assistant manager at Quincey's Steak House. It was when these salad bars and hot bars first became popular in Steak Restaurants. It reminded us of how he would bring home his free meal from work for us to share. (he got one free meal a day from there) GC's food was good actually that day. It was nice to go and just enjoy being "kids" again. It was good to remember how God wants good for us...and good to remember love.