Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day. This was only the second Valentine's day of my life with a boyfriend (the last one was Doug way back in 1996. I had my braces removed that day and was cheerleading at a basketball game. He surprised me by showing up with flowers. Aw! He was sweet. He didn't make me laugh, but he was nice).

Saturday, Mr.B and I had Korean food as the snow began to fall. At dinner, we got into some deep conversation. I admitted that some of his criticism bothered me. He said he didn't want to be dishonest or keep things bottled up. I replied that I didn't want that either, I just want him to think, before criticizing, about how it will make me feel. "If you feel it will hurt my feelings too much, don't say it. If you still think it's worth it, okay." He agreed to that. In the course of the conversation, Mr.B also informed me that he was with his last girlfriend for three years and they broke up just before he finished college (About 4 or 5 months before we got together). Wow. This was more than he had ever told me, because for him former relationships are taboo. Anyway, it explained a lot about how he acts with me...simultaneously intense and committment-phobic. I'm not looking for long-term committment, either, which makes it about perfect. I just which he'd relax and let things be a little more casual sometimes. (He'd probably say the same about me.)

Saturday Mr.B ended up snowed in at my apartment, and didn't get dug out until late the next day. So Sunday we made omelettes for breakfast and ordered pizza for lunch. I hadn't had pizza in ages. Mmm...pizza.

Mom and Dad's 34th anniversary was Sunday, so I sent them roses. I'm happy for them and proud and feel very lucky to have such a role model for love and relationships lasting a lifetime.

Tuesday I was in my classroom eating lunch with Mr. B when I noticed a gift bag on my desk.

"Did you put that there?" I asked.
"No," he replied.
"Huh," I said, looking quickly at the tag. "No name." I put the bag down and went back to eating.
"What was in the bag?"he asked. I opened it again and saw a cute book (no inscription) and a little box of chocolates, and told him so.
"Who would care enough to give you that?"
"Maybe Madrid."
"You know," he mused, "some people would say chocolate isn't good for you."
I laughed, because Mr. B has been teasing me that chocolate is directly responsible for my cavities. "So," he continued, "who would care enough about you to get you the small box of chocolates?" I laughed, finally realizing the game and thanked him. "How long would you have kept believing me?"
"Probably forever."
"You're so gullible."
"I've told you before, I'm credulous!"
Then I gave him the card I wrote for him. It was a letter telling him all the things I like best about him. (Though I left it at home, I also got him a feather pillow to keep at my place since he admitted that he doesn't sleep as well without one.) He liked the letter.

It wasn't an incredibly romantic day, but it was nice. The thing is, I've always loved Valentine's Day, boyfriend or no boyfriend. I loved the way it makes people who aren't normally romantic show people that they care. I like the sugar hearts with the printed messages and the girls walking around proudly carrying roses and the discounted candy February 15. You don't need a luvah for that, but if a Valentine is what you crave, then may a chubby flying infant shoot you with an arrow. Happy hunting!