Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day has come and gone, and I've been doing some thinking. Allen and I come from two similar, yet very different families. My family is large, his is about half the size of mine. I have 7 siblings, he had 2. My parents celebrated EVERY holiday that makes it on the calender. His family, not so much. Birthdays are the same way. My mom still bakes a cake and we all get together for my 41 year old brother. Allen doesn't like having a birthday party for himself. I know some people say that and don't mean it, but he truly looks at it as just another day.
In the early years together, I went to ALL family functions alone. In the past six years, he has started to celebrate some things. I can get him to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and most birthday parties now, but Valentine's Day means nothing to him. It used to upset me. I was so saddened by the lack of enthusiasm for these events that we would almost always fight about it.
He does a lot of little things all year long though. Like, instead of buying me flowers, I have so many rose bushes that I wake up to flowers almost every day that they are in bloom. Sometimes, they are accompanied by a little note. We go out for dinner on occasion, but usually, he'll just make me dinner. When he makes an "I Love You" dinner, he goes all out! We're talkin' Steaks, Baked Potatoes with all the fixins, some kind of vegetable, he'll even bake a cake or something for desert. He even makes and serves the plates.
I am a simple person to please. I like the little things in life. Seriously, diamonds and roses are pretty, but a simple "I love you" works just as well as me. I enjoy dinner and a movie, but can think of better things to spend money on. A kiss on the cheek and "good morning sunshine" may sound corny, but that is when I love him the most.
He paid for the trip we took to Illinois to see Ozzfest for the second time. That to me, is worth a dozen Valentine's Days!! He paid for the first Ozzfest we went to a couple of years earlier in Detroit too. Seeing Ozzy in concert was on my "bucket list", I had watched Motley Crue in 89 and felt like a kid again when I saw them in Detroit. The only regret from that trip to Chicago, was that Aerosmith was to play the day we had to leave! If we had known that, we would have made arrangements to stay one more night!!! So, we just have to catch Aerosmith this year ;p
In fact, this year, we plan to travel around Michigan and stay in a couple of different state parks, just for the hell of it. He works pretty steady all summer, so we'll have to stay within a few hours from home, but just one or two days will be nice.
We like to canoe,as a matter of fact, I have an awesome story about a last minute canoe trip we had three or so years ago, but you'll have to read THAT post when I do it.... (gotta keep ya readin somehow). We fish for all kinds of fish....Salmon, Steelhead, Rainbow Trout, Crappies, Suckers, Pike, Bluegill, Perch, and opening day of Bass, it's tradition, Just me and Allen in our boat, against his dad and his brother in their boat. You would be amazed how much two people can grow together spending time fishing just the two of them. It has actually become one of the things we enjoy doing together most. I DO NOT take the fish off of the hook, although, I have no problem baiting the hook.... he babies me...LOL.
We also enjoy a good demolition derby or off road race! Swimming in the Mighty Lake Michigan down the road on sugar sand beaches that easily compare to Florida or California.... just not quite as hot, no sharks, no salt. You don't see too many surfers, but boogie boards work well. Picnics, music, family, friends, and frisbee! I gotta say, I think I get more than most when it comes to fun and love. I have gotten over the whole Valentine's and Sweetest Day things. I am glad my son gets into it, but Allen will bring me a gift just because at a random time. I know he loves me, I don't need an international holiday to prove it.
That doesn't mean I think other people shouldn't celebrate it, it just means, I have learned not to be upset that we don't.
I know the reasons why he feels the way he does, and the fact that he celebrates Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Halloween, and Birthdays with the family, I guess I can give him a pass on the whole candy hearts and $6 Hallmark Cards...LOL.... for those of you who celebrate, I hope you had a beautiful day!