Celebrating Love and Valentine's Day

Yesterday was Valentine's Day...and it was sixteen years ago on another Valentine's Day when  my honey proposed!  In the card he gave me on that day he shared that it was both terrifying and exciting....after all, we weren't exactly spring chickens (tho' in looking back...we sure were a lot younger than we are now), and we had both been through our share of disappointments and heartaches through the years.  He was right, tho'....at times it HAS been terrifying, other times it has been wonderfully exciting, and sometimes it has been filled with the day-to-day ordinary, normal (?) stuff that life is made of.  But  through it all, I remain convinced that God knew what He was doing when He brought us together, and today our love for each other is stronger than ever.  Love ya', baby!

As wonderful as my honey is, he has not always been the best at picking out appropriate gifts for special occasions....after the one time he picked out a ring for me, his exact words were, "I'd rather donate a kidney!"  Consequently, for our fifteenth anniversary, he sent me off to pick out my own ring!  And I must say I did a very good job of it!  Hehe!  Anyway, THIS year his choice of Valetine's Day gifts ranks pretty high.....a year-long pass to the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC (about a 90 min. drive).  He remembered how much I enjoyed our visit there years ago, and knowing how much I love to take photos, he came up with the plan.  I must say I was more than surprised.....I was thrilled, and we are making our first (of many) visits this Friday (temps in the mid 60s....oh, yeah!), so look for some photos next week.  Since this was a gift that was for both of us, he asked that I not get him anything....and as hard as it was for me to comply, I did.  BUT that didn't mean I couldn't fix him a super meal, did it?  I didn't think so....consequently, I got busy yesterday....

• Nice, crisp salad
• Fresh steamed asparagus
• Sauted Gulf shrimp
• Parmesan baked salmon on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes
• Wheat rolls

What didn't make the photo was dessert...sorry....as soon as I set it out....well, it was gone!  Remember those browning from last week?  Just imagine a nice moist browning, with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled with warmed strawberry preserves!  Yum, yum.

I MUST have done something right, because he has spent most of the day downstairs, designing and making a holder for all of my spools of scrapbooking ribbon!  Gotta' love it....and I do!

Hope you are feeling the love of those around you....especially of the One in whose image you are made....food for thought, isn't it?