The Man I Love

On our first Valentine's Day, he didn't plan a thing. Not a thing. He picked me up from work and started out on the freeway and then proceeded to ask me what I wanted to do. We ended up window shopping at the mall and eating at Chili's. He didn't buy me any gifts. It was not exactly my dream date.

From that story, some people may think my husband isn't very romantic. And I could tell you all kinds of things about him that would convince you of it -- the man can be so juvenile sometimes and completely lack the ability to get serious.

But this is the most romantic man I have ever met.

He drew a picture of us for my wedding present.

I come home to find that he has bought me flowers or gifts -- just because.

He came to my office one day to have lunch with me and he was all dressed up in nice slacks, a button down shirt and a tie, he had actually shaved (!) and he had done his hair -- just to surprise me.

He gets up with our baby in the middle of the night so I can sleep.

When our son has the stomach flu, he cleans up the mess. One night, he stayed up all night watching our sick, sleeping little boy just to make sure he was okay.

Even though I am overweight and have tremendously ugly stretch marks, he treats me like I am the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Sometimes I actually believe he believes it.

On top of all this, he married an insecure crazy woman who had been deeply scarred by her ex-husband and he has managed to convince her that loving her and being loved by her is the thing in his life which has brought him the greatest joy. He is raising a son who was born by another man and he is ten times the father that man will ever be. He loves our boy so deeply you can't tell that he missed out on being there from the beginning. And he is so gentle and sweet with our little girl. She is his angel.

He, however, is my angel. My life would be so empty without him. He is my valentine today, next year and forever.