bucking tradition

jake and i usually don't celebrate valentine's day. the holiday isn't really what it was originally intended - like christmas, it's become utterly commercialized. also, it's not very eco-friendly for people to go around buying tens of thousands of roses that are completely out of season-the energy expended transporting those roses from their hothouses in south america is staggering. and not celebrating valentine's day in a big way has always been a sort of small, poignant reminder to us that we need to celebrate each other every day. not just hallmark-sanctioned days.

but this year, after a whole saturday of taking care of a fussy baby by myself, a fussy baby who's going through a growth spurt and is frustrated by her physical limitations and hungry every hour, while jake spent time with autumn because it's the only day of the week they really get a lot of quality time, and while i wasn't feeling very well -- well, by the time five o'clock rolled around and it was time for jake to take autumn back to her mom's apartment, i just had to say, "jake? can you please not go to wal-mart like you planned after you drop autumn off? because i really need some help."

and then, when five twenty rolled around, and five thirty, and five forty five, and he still wasn't back, and i sat in the chair with aislinn asleep in my arms and a lump in my throat, thinking "he went to wal-mart anyway," it was the worst valentine's day i'd ever had.

(even though we don't celebrate valentine's day.)

and then at five fifty, when he walked in the door with these

and a bottle of champagne, and dinner from our favorite restaurant that he'd ordered hours before so it'd be ready on time, and i forgot all about why we don't celebrate valentine's day as he took care of aislinn while i took a blessedly long shower and emerged feeling more refreshed, loved, and appreciated than i have in a long time.

it was my best valentine's day ever.

(even though we don't celebrate valentine's day.)