So, Josh and I don't have the best luck with Valentine's day. I know some people are of the mindset that you should show love all year long and that it is silly to celebrate such a holiday... but we are of the mindset that we do show love all year long and Valentine's day is a special day set aside to celebrate how blessed we are and how much we love each other. You can't plan special dates, surprises, and buy flowers and gifts every day; at least, we can't, we don't have the money to. So, a couple of times a year (like valentine's day and our anniversary) we treat and spoil one another. :)
Anyway, Josh was determined that this Valentine's day would be different... seeing as how our past history included no dinner reservations, trying to make reservations a few days before, failed back-up plans, or nothing at all. And people, that went on for 12 years... This year, Josh made reservations (!) and he made them 7 weeks in advance (!!), which was a miracle in itself. He didn't tell me any of the plans just that we'd be gone for several hours and to wear something dressy.
Valentine's day just happened to fall on a Tuesday and you all know that means its a MOPS morning! So, the day begins with a special MOPS. We had a couples panel (3 couples) that answered a few questions and shared about their Godly marriages and how they handled different circumstances through the years. While one couple was sharing, in comes my husband with 3 dozen roses, a giant bunch of balloons, a card, and a box of chocolates. Now, mind you, this is in front of about 70 ladies. I was blushing as red as the roses he brought in, but can I tell you, it was the sweetest thing. He strolls in looking as proud as a peacock and I am a little shocked that he even attempted such a thing. It was a little out of character for my man, but completely and utterly wonderful. The flowers were beautiful and the card, perfect.
That was just the beginning of the special day he had planned.
Following MOPS we went to lunch with some friends and then I ran out to find something to wear. I found a beautiful top at Versona - I love that place!- and then I raced home to get ready. I spent the normal amount of girl time getting dressed and fixing my hair and then by 4:55pm I was ready to go.
Now, the babysitter had arrived and received instructions and we were all set to jet. He walked me to the car and in my seat was another rose waiting for me. Then, we got on the road and headed to Orlando. I knew this was going to be a night full of sweet surprises.
I wish I could say the night continued in lovely bliss as we drove into the sunset, but alas, it was not meant to be. Headed down the parkway, I get a call from the sitter. My dear, sweet, precious son could be heard screaming in the background. The sitter informed me that he wouldn't drink from his bottle and was now inconsolable. After sharing all my tricks of the trade to get him settled down with no results... we had no choice. We had to turn around.
It was on the drive home that my husband informed me of the plans he had for the rest of the night. Dinner at my favorite restaurant, Seasons 52, a table reserved on their back deck overlooking the lake so we could watch the sunset together, dessert, and then to see a movie I've been looking forward to for months. Awesome, right? Yeah, thats what I thought too.
So, while Josh was canceling our reservations, my thoughts were swinging between love for my precious husband who went through so much trouble to make the night special, sadness for what was not meant to be, and thoughts of peril that I might never be able to leave my son again, that I would forever have a permanent accessory... (haha).
We get home and neither of us could get Jake to drink the bottle. I was trying to refuse giving him exactly what he wanted, because I still wanted my hot date. But, he wouldn't take it, and I'm not going to let my son starve. He ate and as soon as he finished we, the three of us now, went on the prowl for a something to eat. Now, remember that Josh and I are dressed quite nicely: he in a suit jacket and me in my dressy black pants and new top. Of course, we all know, me especially, that you cannot get into a restaurant on Valentine's day, even more so a nice place. We quickly eliminated the obvious non-contenders like Bonefish, Louie Mack's, Carrabas, then eliminated the second place choices like Outback, Mimi's, and Abuelo's, and then realized we didn't have many options left.
And then we saw it. That famous (at least around these parts) little man wearing an apron and a cowboy hat. Oh yes, we were so going to do it. We are going to eat at this barbecue joint wearing our dressy best and toting along a little munchkin who was not on my favorite list at the moment.
Our valentine's day dinner was going to be Sonny's.
We walk in amid several people wearing jeans, shorts, and t-shirts and are given slightly confused glances. We put our name on the list because even Sonny's is on a short wait, and then step back to wait our 10 minutes. We even see a couple from church sitting across the room so we go over and say hello, and then resume our wait. Now, the humor of the situation is not lost on us. We stop and laugh every few minutes. And my poor husband ruminates on the fact that he actually planned valentine's day this year and we are still eating at Sonny's. There is nothing wrong with Sonny's, we eat there on a regular basis. But it wasn't a place that had any special meaning to us. And didn't exactly strike us as romantic.
By the time we were seated, Jake, our little third wheel, was asleep. And y'all, can I tell you that what followed was the BEST date we have been on in a very long time. As a part of MOPS we are doing the 4 great dates and we were on date #1. We had a fantastic night of conversation, fun flirting, and we reconnected in a way that we've needed. Looking across the table at the man I married, eating a "big deal", I fell in love with him all over again.
We ended the night going to Walmart to get Ben and Jerry's and a movie. I know, the date locations just keep getting better, haha.
After getting home to put Jake to bed, we snuggled on the couch while our babysitter (who was also my sister) snuggled in the chair beside us, and watched Inception.
The perfect Valentine's day.
