"Valentine when I look at you I get a pain in my heart..."

Ah, Valentine's Day...the holiday I detested as a single person. Just an over-rated couples' festival. However, in recent years I began quite like the event....the colors, the treats, the flowers, making cards, giving & receiving cards, etc.

Probably one of the funniest (and annoying at the time) Valentine's I ever received was in high school. A less than fortunate class mate who was often ridiculed and bullied by others, yet whom I often tried to protect especially in regards to the other guys, gave me a Valentine which he had hand crafted. The "poem" went like this...."Valentine when I look at you I get a pain in my heart....One good burp and it's gone!" **Shock & gasp** He gave a similar Valentine to my friend who was also his ally. At the time we were livid and vowed never to support him again......May he have heartburn forever! Now I just find it humorous.

Fast forward to a few years ago when my now husband, that was working in Tuktoyaktuk for the winter, had a dozen roses delivered to work on Feb 13. Although I was facilitating Orientation that day I did happen to leave the boardroom to find a dozen gorgeous red roses on my desk. They brought a smile to my heart and tear to my eye...not to mention ALOT of explaining as the office, except for a choice two, didn't know I was dating anyone as I had always referred to B as "my friend B". The secret was out and the staff were hilariously joyous for me. Funny....

Now, it's a couple of years into our marriage and B didn't let this red day pass without incident. Yesterday a lovely bouquet of tropical flowers came my way (as well as a giant, solid Hershey's Kiss...but that's really for him as he has the chocolate tooth, not I). He even wowed the floral staff when he commented on the Heliconia in the bouquet. We learned of these blooms while travelling in St. Lucia as they are native to the island. B is a believer that it's more fun and a bit of a surprise to receive the day before the actual event as then there is an element of surprise. Either way, the day before or the day of, I am spoiled and happy to be loved.