Yes, today is Leap Day—the day that only appears on our calendar every four years. Some have suggested that Leap Day is a good day to do things that you’ve been putting off. You have an extra twenty-four hours this year. Make good use of them.
There are a few traditions around Leap Day. In Ireland, it is said that St. Brigid convinced St. Patrick that women should be able to propose on Leap Day, thus making a little bit of balance to gender roles like the extra day balances the calendar. In some countries the day is known as “Bachelor’s Day,” and men are expected to pay a penalty of a gown or money to any woman whose proposal they refuse. If a man refuses a Leap Day marriage proposal in many European countries, he must buy the woman twelve pairs of gloves so she can hide the fact that she has no engagement ring.
Here’s the trailer from the movie, Leap Year, in which a young woman’s plan to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day takes her on an unexpected journey.
In the first book of my Village of Hope series, Second Chance Reunion, the heroine proposes to the hero. Here’s an excerpt.
Ian spun around. His heart lodged in his throat. Annie’s blue eyes sparkled with life—the new life she had forged with God at her side. He wanted more than anything to be part of that life. Sharing his love with this woman who was beautiful inside and out would make his life complete. She was everything he needed. “You’re here. I just tried to call you. Then I heard your voice, and it confused me.”
Annie smiled like she knew something he didn’t. “Do we eat first or talk?”
“Eat. I don’t like cold pizza.” He went to the desk and opened the pizza box next to the paper plates. Plus, he needed more time to prepare himself for what he planned to do.
They ate and talked some about their workday. Annie told him about the success of her parents’ visit. She seemed happy. They were having a congenial conversation. Was he going to upset everything with his proposal? He needed to get her finance discussion out of the way before he talked himself out of this declaration of his love.
He put his half-eaten slice of pizza on the plate. “What do you have to tell me about the finances? I hope it’s good news.”
“It’s better than good. It’s fantastic, stupendous, marvelous and a godsend.” Annie reached into her purse and brought out an envelope. “Here. Take a look.”
Ian opened the envelope and pulled out a check. He blinked, then blinked again. His mouth dropped open. He looked at Annie. “From your parents?”
Smiling, she nodded. “I told you it was fabulous news.”
He grinned so broadly that he didn’t think his face could contain it. He took Annie’s hand and pulled her to her feet, then twirled her around the room. When he stopped, he put his hands on her shoulders. “This means we can pay off debts and have money left over.”
“And I have a plan to put the leftover money in a trust. I want to run it by you tonight and then the finance committee tomorrow before we present it to the board.”
“Wonderful, but I have something to say before you tell me about your plan.”
Annie stepped away and held up both hands in front of her. “I have something to say, too. Ladies first, right?”
“Okay, ladies first.” If she kept finding ways to put him off, would he lose his nerve?
Annie took a deep breath, then licked her lips. “I’ve said some of this before, but I want to say it one more time. I’m sorry I ruined our marriage. I’m thankful that you’ve forgiven me, and I want to…I want to start over.”
“I—”
“Please let me finish.” Annie held up one hand.
“Okay.” His heart raced. She wanted to start over. That was a good sign.
“I’m sorry too about the way I reacted the other day. You saved my life. I was on a path to ruin. If not for what you did, I might have died of an overdose. Losing Kara and Spencer was a turning point for me. I had to get help. Forgive me again?” Annie held her breath.
“I should’ve told you from the beginning.” Ian shook his head. “But I never thought we’d come to a point where we wanted to be together again. Where do we go from here?”
Her heart thudding, Annie finally breathed. “I don’t want to waste any more time being apart. I love you, Ian Montgomery. Kara told me you said you’d marry me and be a daddy to my kids if I asked you. So I’m asking. Will you marry me again?”
Ian stood there, stunned, his mouth hanging open again. She had beaten him to the proposal. Bless little Kara.
“I’m sorry if Kara put words in your mouth. I’m sorry if I put you on the spot with my proposal.” Annie dropped her gaze to the floor.
Ian went down on one knee in front of Annie. He looked up into her face. “You didn’t put me on the spot. You just beat me to it. I love you, and I love your kids. I want to start over, too. I’ll marry you and be a daddy to your children.” He fished in his pocket for the ring case. He pulled it out and popped it open. “I bought this for you.”
Do you have any special plans for Leap Day? Do you know someone who was born on Leap Day?
I’ll be giving away the first two books in my Village of Hope series to someone who leaves a comment on today’s blog post. I will pick a winner on March 2, 2016.
Merrillee Whren is an award-winning author who writes inspirational romance. She is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award for best inspirational romance manuscript presented by Romance Writers of America. She has also been the recipient of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of thirty plus years, and has two grown daughters. She has lived in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Florida but now makes her home in the Arizona desert. When she’s not writing, she spends her free time playing tennis or walking while she does the plotting for her novels.
We don’t do anything special on leap day, but I have watched Leap Year a couple of times, it’s a fantastic movie if your looking for a laugh!
I like the idea of taking care of things we’ve put off on Leap Day. I’ll be at my day job today, so perhaps I’ll handle some projects that have been on the back burner.
I enjoyed reading your excerpt. Thanks for sharing, Merrillee.
We do not do anything special on leap day. We have a friends, who will be a mature 15 today. On the local Michiana news this morning, one lady says that she and her husband renew their proposal every leap day. That is a new twist that could be used in a romance novel. Merrill Whren looking forward to your new release Falling for the Millionaire. Is this being released on March (Inspy Romance book page) or April (Amazon)? Have a great leap day. Keep on writing.
I have a friend turning 13 today (as in 13×4) – I always thought he had the coolest birthday. He never particularly enjoyed it.
We’re not doing anything special for leap day though, just another normal Monday.
Enjoyed your excerpt!
I enjoyed your excerpt and info. My oldest daughter was due on leap day, but she came early :-)!
Jill, I’ll probably spray weeds. It’s something I’ve been putting off. In AZ we have a gravel yard, but the weeds still like to grow even though there has been no rain for weeks. I keep wondering how that happens.
Renate, if you check the mass market paperback, it is available on March 22. That means it will be in stores as a print book. The Kindle version isn’t available until April 1. Don’t ask me why. You can preorder the kindle version now.
Elizabeth, thanks. Glad you enjoyed the excerpt. I imagine it would be a pain not to have a real birth date every year. You would have to decided whether to celebrate on Feb. 28 or Mar. 1.
dlw, I’m glad you enjoyed the excerpt. My grandmother was born on Feb. 28. Close.
Love stories by Merrill Whren! :-) I don’t think I know anyone who was born on leap day. :-) I have wondered how people born on that day celebrate their birthdays. Maybe two celebrations, or even more. haha!
Should have watched my typing. Merrillee Whren. haha Not Merrill Whren. haha
That was a fun post! Thanks for sharing! When you mentioned Leap Year I thought of the movie. I love that movie! Your books around interesting!
I don’t have any leap year stories, but I work at a middle school and we get all kinds of stuff. I’m sure this day will be no different.
No special plans for today. I also have enjoyed the movie Leap Year. I watched it on Netflix earlier this month. Awhile back I pre-ordered your e-book Falling For A Millionaire. I knew it was releasing in March but sad that I have to wait another month for it to download on my Kindle!
I have 2 good friends who were born on Leap Day!
I’m a nanny for a 4 month old little girl, Telah, today for the first time. I’ve already fed her once & she’s taking her second nap! :) I love Leap Year & plan on watching it tonight to celebrate Leap Day!
What a lovely, heartwarming scene! I don’t have any special plans for the day except to work (because my dear hubby is in retail and doesn’t get fun things like leap day off.) That “what am I going to do with the extra 24 hours” is worth a moment’s thought.
No special plans for Leap Day this year. My cousin was born on Leap Day, so she is telling people she is turning 12 today. Love the excerpt!
My sister was married on leap day, twenty years ago. So today is her fifth anniversary, but she has a sixteen-year-old child! Minor scandal for the pastor and his wife until the whole leap day thing was explained.
I had a friend who was a leap year baby but he was killed 3 years ago in motorcycle wreck at age of 25
I have a friend who was born on Leap Day. Her kids always joked with her saying they were older than her. Your books sound like great reads. Have a great day!
Melissa, glad you enjoy my stories. With all those double letters, I’m used to having my name misspelled. Every time I get the cover from my publisher I breath a sigh of relief when my name is spelled correctly. I did have a book which had only one “l” in my name in the header that is on every other page. I don’t remember which one it is. Strangely enough, the regular print version was correct, but the large print version had it wrong.
Marylin, bless you and your work at a middle school. I used to be a teacher, and I know kids that age can be a handful.
Nancy, thanks for pre-ordering my book. I don’t understand why they release the paperbacks earlier than the e-book edition. When I do my indie books, I always do the e-book first, then the print version.
Margaret, that is unusual.
Amanda, good way to celebrate. It is a cute movie.
Thanks, Deb. Yeah, retail workers hardly ever get special days off, maybe Christmas and Easter, sometimes, not even those.
Jennifer, thanks. Glad you enjoyed the excerpt. How fun for your cousin
Lee, how funny. When I was doing research, I found that some places actually think it is bad luck to get married on Leap Day. Guess we can put that superstition to rest since your sister has been married 20 years.
Sheila, how sad for your friend.
Beth, I’m sure her kids enjoy being able to tease their mother.
I will have no plans for Leap Day and I don’t think I know anyone born that day.
You know I love your books,
Good blog post.
Linda, thanks for stopping by. Glad you enjoy my books.
I have one friend turning 20 today and another that is in heaven now but would be in her early hundreds.
We don’t do anything special for Leap Day.
I gave birth to our son on Feb 29, 32 years ago today, so YES, we celebrate Leap Day around here! I’ve missed seeing him on his birthday the last few times it rolled around, but now he and his wife and daughter live next door, so I popped over earlier to say Happy Birthday to him.
Yes, the most common question we’ve gotten is when do we celebrate! The reply is that all parents plan their child’s celebration for a day that is convenient, even if it’s not their exact birthday. We might have a party on Saturday instead of Thursday, for instance. We usually had our family cake-and-candles on the 28th, though the argument is there that any other year, he’d’ve been born on March first!
Your book sounds awesome, I would love to read it. I also want to see that movie you have the trailer of. I hardly ever watch movies I usually just read but we do have Netflix so I think I’m going to check it out. Thanks, have a blessed day!
I have a niece whose birthday is today. Yep, she’s 8 years old today. Always fun to celebrate with her. Loved the excerpt. They are now on my to read list.
I enjoyed reading your Leap Day post! I will be watching a King’s basketball game at my mom’s house! Thanks for the chance to win!!
Valerie, happy birthday to your son. How nice that he lives so close!
Linda, thanks. I hope you have a chance to read the book, Second Chance Reunion.
Sharon, I’m glad you enjoyed the excerpt. Happy birthday to your niece.
Linda, hope your team wins.
20 years ago I had a leap year baby. He is happy to finally be 5 as we like to joke. I am so thankful for him.
Mylittle, thanks for visiting the blog. Hope your leap year baby had a fabulous birthday.
I have a leap year “baby”, though she’s 24yrs old….in reality only 6…lol! I told her when she is a lot older, she’ll appreciate the fact that she’s younger :-) She doesn’t get it yet, but someday! We took her to a special restaurant we love here in town & celebrated!
No need to enter me as I have these two books. I have one I’m about halfway through & once I’ve finished that, will be reading the Village of Hope series. This excerpt makes me excited to start :-) I’ve never read a story yet where the heroine asks the hero to marry her, can’t wait!
I don’t know any leap day babies but I am going to watch that movie! Thanks for the recommendation and I loved the snippet of your book!
Merrillee, my mother went into hospital on the 29th and I missed out on being a leap year baby by about 20 hours, lol. I went to school with a few girls who were leap year babies. Leap Year is a fun movie :)
O my I don’t think I need a dozen pair of gloves but money or a new gown would work! I don’t have a leap day story other than I’m really happy to have an extra 24 hours!
Narelle, yes we just wished you a happy birthday. I didn’t have any idea how close you came to being a Leap Baby.
Barbara, I’m with you. What would we do with that many pairs of gloves? Where I live we hardly wear gloves in the winter.
Awesome facts. :) And I want some pizza now too..