Valentine's Day

For some reason I am all about Valentine's Day this year.

I understand the complaints of it being a ridiculously saccharine, commercialized holiday and frankly I agree. But Valentine's Day has always been kind of special to Rob and I for one reason or another (just sort of happens that way).

For our first Valentine's Day (we'd been dating around a month, knew each other for 3 or 4) he sang me a song he had written for me in front of our entire cafeteria. My husband is, and always has been, extremely shy, so this was huge. I was totally smitten. I think I still have the words to the song somewhere.

He also sang me a song and proposed to me 6 years later on Valentine's Day in our apartment.

Throughout the years I've always tried to craft thoughtful gifts, for Valentine's Day, our dating anniversary, birthdays, etc. Frankly I've been pretty impressed with a lot of my ideas. One year I took a deck of 52 cards, and on each one taped little slips of paper with "I love you" in different languages. On the front side of the card was another slip of paper with a reason why I loved him. Kind of goofy but it kept me busy and I had a ton of fun with it.

I think my favorite gift, which wasn't a holiday gift but rather a deployment keepsake, was a 365 Quotes Jar. Admittedly I stole this idea. I cut out 365 small slips of paper and on each one wrote a quote, an inside joke, or just a message to him or memory from the past. He absolutely loved it and would sometimes read multiple slips each day. Luckily I knew him pretty well and had cut out additional slips just in case.

I also spent four hours making him a fleece blanket once for his air conditioned can in Iraq.

Each year I struggle with what to make him or buy for him. He's the kind of person who buys the things he wants on his own, saving up for them if necessary. I'm also so used to asking his opinion on things that I often end up doing so for gifts.

I guess it's a struggle because I don't understand what sort of gift can truly convey the emotion I happen to be feeling at that given time. I've given this man my soul, my life, my heart - a box of chocolates just doesn't reflect that kind of commitment to me.

Perhaps I shouldn't put so much pressure on gifts.

(If you are reading this, Rob, please stop here...gift spoiler alert).


This year I tried to contact both his favorite musician (Mike Ness) and his favorite physicist (Michio Kaku) to try and get autographed memorabilia. Neither attempt was successful though I did receive a personal email back from Dr. Kaku which I thought was pretty cool.


(And since I have to tell Rob everything I confided in him about this second attempt).


In the end I found myself perusing eBay and found a somewhat rare, old Social Distortion CD that was signed by Mike Ness in the 90s. Not ideal...but I hope he'll find some enjoyment in having it.


The company offered me two other signed CDs for $100...but I can't decide how far I should go with this.


Regardless I suffer from gift insecurity.

Any fun gift ideas between you and your significant other?