Love

Well, my mood is 100% better than it was earlier in the week. Thank you for the pep talks, girls!

This post is going to be a bit of a hodge-podge and probably long. You see, this is going to be my last post before the move.....and who knows when I'll be able to post again. I know, I know, it's a sad time for me too because I'm going to miss my blogging over the next few days! I promise to give an update on my [mental] condition as soon as we have internet and of course I'll be snapping pictures left and right while the movers glare at me, questioning my sanity. I'll just tell them that I'm a blogger and they'll totally understand, right?

Tomorrow is Valentines Day and I have a few thoughts:

When I think back about the past Valentines Days I've spent with Nate, I can't help but smile. I wish my scrapbooks weren't packed away somewhere because I'd totally pull some pictures from each year. Instead, I decided to use engagement pictures to illustrate our love. What? I figured you'd be sick of the wedding pictures so I'm using the OTHER trusty pro photos I have. That's okay, right?

2003: Our first Valentines Day. I was a senior in college, Nate was a junior and we were only dating for a few months. We were one of those "disgustingly obnoxious couples" who were totally infatuated with each other. Kind of like this:

To make a long story short, we cooked dinner for each other in my little campus apartment. We were STARVING and not the best cooks. We decided on lasagna which seemed easy enough but it posed quite the challenge. I remember calling both of our moms multiple times through the night for moral cooking support. After what seemed like hours, it was finally done so I pulled it out to cool. But good old Nate decided the cheese wasn't "toasted" enough and when he went to put it back in the oven the inevitable happened. I heard a few loud profanities and a crash from the other room. Sure enough, the whole pan slipped out of his hands and landed promptly on our disgusting college floor. We were so starved that we scraped off the top layer [untouched by the dormitory grossness] and ate it anyway. What romance!
2004: I was in Grad school and Nate was a senior. I THINK we went to our most favorite restaurant ever....Olive Garden. We totally burnt ourselves out on this one because now we boycott the place but for awhile there we were OG junkies. After our dinner we went to a few local bars to celebrate with friends. Again, so romantic, right?!
2005: We were both done with school and working. I lived in my single apartment and Nate lived with Charlie. I'm pretty sure this was the year that Hannah and I made dinner for our boyfriends----who are now our husbands, solely because of our awesome cooking skills. It was really fun and they choked down the steaks like champs. True love, I tell you!2006: Now Hannah and I lived together [again!]. This was during my "if he doesn't propose soon I'm going to kill him" phase of life. So when he got us reservations at The Tap Room---where we had our first date---I prepared my hands with a nice manicure. Surely I'd get my ring at dinner, right? WRONG. Nothing. Not one little "you are the most amazing person in my life" speech. I was bummed and probably a delight that night. Little did I know he had a plan and bought the ring a few weeks later. Poor Nate. He puts up with so much.

2007: Engaged and still living with Hannah. Is it bad that I can't remember what we did last year? I'm fairly certain we went to dinner at Sidney Street Cafe---which is the best restaurant EVER, and especially in St. Louis. Yes, that's it---we went to Sidney Street and gorged ourselves on food and drink until we thought we'd puke. Now THAT is a sign of a good night:)
2008: This year we'll be moving so we can't do anything special. I'm kind of sad about this but we decided to postpone our celebration until we are settled into our new place. I'll let go of my tight wad tendencies for one night to show Nate my love:)
Please note that most of these pictures involve us laughing together because that is what we do quite often. He makes me laugh when I'm in a bad mood. Brightens my bad days with a silly face. Nate understands me when I don't even understand myself. He knows when to let me vent and when to shut me up. Most of all Nate loves me despite my flaws. I am eternally grateful for my wonderful husband and I'm fully aware that I should tell him this more often. I love you, Nate! Thanks for being my Valentine for six whole years!
Can't wait for us to be the cute elderly couple, married for 50 years, so I can use this Some Ecard:
Sorry if you are gagging right now, but I had to do it. Enough of the sappy stuff, okay?

Valentines Day is also Mom's birthday, as I mentioned before. She doesn't look a day over 30 and gives me hope for aging gracefully. Of course I'm a horrible daughter and didn't even send her a card this year.

Love you, Mom!

A final Valentines thought: although I'm in a loving marriage right now and don't really mind Valentines day, I know a lot of single girls out there feel a bit jaded and annoyed by this Hallmark holiday. I really can't blame you because Valentines day can totally suck if you endured a recent heartbreak and have disgustingly happy couples thrown in your face. In that vein, I was listening to my I-pod the other day and stumbled upon some AWESOME break up songs. They are more like "break up/I'm so over you/you are nobody without me" songs. They make me want to belt them out in my car while nobody is watching [okay, I admit I may scream the lyrics even if the car next to me notices. I just don't care.] I don't need these break up power weapons anymore but I'd like to share my list, in case any of you need some ammunition. Of if you just want to sing really loud in the car.

~"Since You've Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
~"Tomorrow" by Avril Lavigne
~"Forget About It" by Allison Krauss
~"The One" by Vanessa Carlton
~"Fast as You Can" by Fiona Apple
~"Wheel" by John Mayer
~"Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" by John Mayer
~"Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" by David Gray
~"No Need to Argue" by The Cranberries
~"Circle" by Edie Brickell
~"Every time" by Britney Spears [don't kill me for this!]

So that's it. A mega post for something to tie you over until I settle a bit. Wish us luck on Friday and send some unpacking love my way!