Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Valentine's Day

I think it's safe to say that Brian and I have never been out on Valentine's Day once. We originally met a week after Valentine's Day. The following year Brian was on a six month deployment for vday. The year after is the Valentine's Day that we were finally able to spend together, and we just stayed at home. The following vday was 2006 and I was pregnant and alone for Valentines day because Brian was out to sea again. For Valentine's day in 2007, Brian had duty (which means he has to stay after work and spend the night, and get up and have a work day the next day too) But he snuck home to have dinner with me and spent part of the night, going back to the ship at 3am. That summer Brian got out of the Navy (thank god) and finally in 2008 we got to spend Valentine's day together. Depressing huh? And Valentine's day is exactly 6 months after our wedding day.

So this year won't be any different than any of those times (all two of them) that we've actually been able to spend Valentine's day together for the whole evening. Except, this year we'll get all day because Vday happens to fall on a Saturday.

I never, for one moment, take for granted being able to spend Valentine's day with Brian. I truly believe that all the time we spent apart really did put so much strength in our relationship because we know how empty our lives are when we're apart.

We don't need to go out to an overcrowded restaurant on Valentine's day to show eachother how much we care for one another. We're just glad to have eachother. Here and always. I'll never forget the time that Brian and I were saying goodbye on the pier (me with my 6 month pregnant belly) and I was crying, afraid that he wouldn't make it home in time ofr Owen's birth. And Brian said to me "I know it's hard to see it now, but when this is all over we'll look back on this time and it will seem like such a long time ago. It will be all over soon." I took comfort in knowing that this was only temporary and that it was something neither of us had control over and if we did we would obviously choose to be together. Not everyone loves someone enough to miss them when they're gone. So we had that, right? I mean really miss them. Miss them so much that it actually hurts. I remember not being able to breathe as I was driving away from the ship. It hurt so much to leave him behind. How do can you be okay with leaving your love behind? It's all over now. And we haven't spent one holiday, anniversary or birthday apart since. That right there will always be a gift in itself, every Valentine's Day.

6 comments:

Holly Steffen said...

Aw this is so sweet.

And Valentine's at home is the best. That's what Brian and I do too. We make a fancy dinner together and just relax with eachother.

Vday is always special for us too bc that was the day we found out we were pregnant with parker! =]

Bridget said...

i dunno why i'm not getting updates from you. it's weird and it sucks. like the last update is shows on my page was "sounds like a plan" that you wrote 3 weeks ago. sometimes i hate blogger. livejournal was so much better. we should go back to updating those instead.

anyway, i love this entry. you guys are too cute. seriously. i wish i had a love like that. sucks but what are you gonna do? i can't complain because he's sweet to me and loves our baby sooo much but i just don't have that connection. ah.. well.

Holly Steffen said...

it doesnt update me either (do).

i think its because your page is private. bc all the ones that are private don't show up on my updates list.

Jess said...

i'm not getting your updates until i've already heard about everything haha that sucks

Brooke said...

I think Valentine's days at home are much more romantic anyway! Why would you want to share your evening with a bunch of other couples listening in on your conversations!! :-) haha! But you know what I mean don't you? Like when the restuarant gets quiet and you know that people are listening to what you're talking about! I'm glad you guys got to spend Valentines day together this year :-)

Kwa said...

i know this is from forever ago..but i'm just crawling out of the rock i've been under for the past three months.
anyways, couldn't have said it better and i can't wait for the day when i can say we're finally done. absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder and it definitely proves if your relationship is strong enough!