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So it's Valentine's this weekend and on Monday it's Matt's birthday! We don't have anything major planned at this point. We'll probably go out to dinner on Monday to celebrate both occasions. I want to go to a Japanese steakhouse like we did last year, but it's not the best place to bring a baby, so we might choose another place. We'll see! Matt has Monday off of work, so I think we should do something special and fun as a family during the day, but I don't know what. Too bad it's supposed to rain that day!

What do you have planned for Valentine's Day?

I remember the year I started dating Matt...I was SO depressed on Valentine's Day (it was before we started our relationship). I thought he liked a friend of mine and I definitely didn't think he liked me "in that way."

I had had a crush on him for months, since October 2001. We had been friends for several months (I met him when I was 9 years old, but we didn't get to be friends until I was 15). My friend's mom saw him from a distance and said, "who is that young man? He's pretty good looking!" I laughed out loud automatically, like, "Matt!? Good looking!?" And then I realized....he is good looking. And nice. And funny. I thought, "oh gosh, I think I have a crush on Matt!"

Then just before Christmas 2001 I went Christmas shopping with him and some friends. I left my purse in his car when he dropped me off (it really was accidental!). My family was leaving to go to Arkansas the next morning and so I had my dad drive me to his house (I didn't have my license yet!) to pick up my purse. We went in and were talking to Matt and his family and Matt was kneeling on their couch, facing the back. I was standing behind the couch and he looked up at me.... he had the sweetest look on his face. I knew in that moment that I loved him, it wasn't just a crush anymore. It about took my breath away and it was hard not to show my emotions. I had a week of being in Arkansas to think about it. I missed him so much and emailed him as often as I could.

I kept it to myself, but after that I was so miserable and lovesick. I thought for sure he liked a friend of mine, but now looking back I can't really think why I thought he did since he paid more attention to me than he did to her. But on Valentine's I felt bitter and depressed about the situation. I remember telling another friend of mine, "life sucks." haha, so dramatic! I decided that before Matt went to college in the fall I would tell him how I felt.

But then there was the homeschool historic ball...that was my first hint that he liked me. He called me and asked if he could escort me. It was a magical night and the following weeks I felt more and more strongly that he at least had a crush on me. Then on March 24 he asked me to be in a relationship with him. He said he wanted it to result in marriage...it wasn't going to be a shallow thing. I "thought about it" for a couple of days, but of course the answer was yes from the second the words were out of his mouth, but I didn't want to rush into it so I gave it a couple of days to sink in.

Anyway, y'all know the rest. You can go HERE (same link as the "March 24" link above) to read a little more about our relationship and see some pictures! :-)