Three Reasons This Valentine’s

Do you remember the first Valentine’s Day you celebrated with your significant other?

I do, because it was the one time we celebrated Valentine’s Day “properly” with the full works. This was in 2001, when even though we were poor students, we got dressed up and went out for a nice posh dinner at Lawry’s The Prime Rib. It was then located at Paragon, and dinner cost the husband-then-boyfriend a princely sum of $170 for the two of us. I think there was some champagne involved. He got me a gift, a shawl, a light-orange coloured one. I must have gotten him a gift too though I can’t remember what it was! It was well and good but I remember thinking it was silly to pay so much money for a set menu just because it was Valentine’s Day. I’m sure DD was relieved that I came to that conclusion! Thereafter, we started celebrating Valentine’s either the day before or by cooking our own fancy dinner at home.

Looking all fresh-faced all those years ago during our first Valentine’s together!

I’ve been rather preoccupied recently, with school and life and Chinese New Year and Mei’s upcoming birthday so I would have let the day slip us by this year, but for my friend Angie, who decided to compile a list of Valentine’s tributes. “What are three things you love most about your husband?”, she asked.

For me it was simple. The hard part was narrowing it down to three:

1. He really gets me and loves me for who I am. More than anyone else, my husband truly lets me be myself. When I got to know him, I knew that this was it — I was home. I wasn’t going to find someone else who understands me and my idiosyncrasies who would still find me cute! Haha. He loves me even though I drive him batty with my insatiable kaypoh-ness, my need to procrastinate and my general obliviousness to mess. As a result, he makes me want to be a better person.

2. He appreciates what I do for the family. I am a stay-home-mum and honestly, this role does not play to my strengths. I am not organised, dislike planning and schedules, and hate managing people. As you can imagine, I’m not doing the best job right now but my husband, bless him, notices what I do and regularly takes the time to tell me how he sees the efforts I’ve put in, how he thinks the kids are thriving, and thanks me for managing the home and being there for the children. Even though the burden of providing for the family and his mum falls squarely on his shoulders, he has not once suggested that I go back to work, leaving me free to decide to stay at home with the kids this season. I can’t thank him enough for that.

3. He is my best friend. I can talk to my husband about anything and everything, no matter how frivolous and judgemental, even if he might not always approve. (Where it’s frivolous and judgemental, he usually doesn’t!) It helps that we have similar views on the important things like family and faith, but where we differ, there is always room for discussion and some healthy banter. We’ve always enjoyed each other’s company in the 18 years we’ve known each other and there’s no one else I’ll rather spend the rest of my life with!

Happy Valentine’s Day my dear husband! You will always be my Valentine!

(Source: landeeseelandeedo.com)

Hop on over to Life’s Tiny Miracles to read more dedications from mums to their better halves and have yourselves a wonderful Valentine’s Day too!