One of my favorite things to do each day is to look at my "On This Day" on Facebook. It probably has something to do with the fact that I typically can't remember what I did yesterday - let alone what happened in previous years. On a day like today - Valentine's Day - it is especially enlightening.
2016: I was fat and pregnant with Aubrey at Luke's school program. For the life of me, I can't remember where Patrick was for work, but he wasn't in town.
2015: Doreen St. reunion at John & Julia's wedding. Patrick was deployed.
2014: Must have been a quiet evening at home because there is no FB memory.
2013: We were days away from leaving Patrick in Hawaii. After an incredible four months of top-notch medical care at Tripler, we made the decision to hospitalize her for extensive genetic/metabolic testing and an MRI to make sure nothing had been previously missed.
2012: I was fat and pregnant with Claire. Patrick got my flat tire fixed so I didn't have to take care of it. There are some parts of adulthood that I despise, and taking the car to the shop is one of those.
2011: We were praying to get out of the hospital because Luke was hospitalized with pneumonia.
2010: I was fat and pregnant with Luke, and we were days away from an epic Kansas reunion to celebrate at my shower. I was blissfully unaware of the crazy life adventure that was about to begin.
Typically, I consider my life to be very boring. However, when the events of previous years are there in print to review in one little snapshot, it is apparent that boring might be the wrong adjective to use. Although flowers, dinner out, and other thoughtful surprises are incredibly nice, life just seems to have other plans for us on February 14th each year.
For us, Valentine's Day is about the unconditional support we have offered each other when kids are sick or the military separates us. It has been agreeing to be on hospital/appointment duty when the other spouse is about lose it (typically that is Patrick stepping in for me). It is about finding time somewhere in a 12+ hour workday to visit for 10 minutes because you know the other person just needs to hear your voice. It is about covering extra household responsibilities so the other person can take care of whatever else it is that needs attention.
On February 14, 2018, I'll open up Facebook to check my "On This Day", and this is what it will say:
2017: No, I am NOT pregnant! Thankfully, no one is in the hospital. Unfortunately, the military has us 8161 miles and nine time zones apart, but we did get in that 10 minute call.
It was nothing overly romantic.
Nothing especially earth-shattering was said.
It was exactly what we needed.
No comments:
Post a Comment