Once Upon A Time… many years ago…
Okay. Sixteen. It was sixteen years ago.
Remember what it was like when you were poor college students? Presents were usually things like a homemade card on a piece of paper you snagged from the printer at work.
That was us.
We’d decided not to do anything for Valentine’s Day because of the aforementioned broke-student-status. We’d been married nearly four years. Had a house with a mortgage. Car payment. The whole nine yards.
Last week… a (very slow) drive around the neighborhood
The night before Valentine’s Day, Matt kind of went on a tear, cleaning the living room and kitchen until they shone. I wasn’t feeling it and didn’t help much and, well, he was kinda grumpy about it.
He was still awake, cleaning, when I went to bed. The next morning, he was gone before I woke up. This was our life. He worked 38 hours a week, did 20 hours of (unpaid) internship, and 10 hours of grad school a week. I was teaching part-time at the local community college, and taking like six credits to finish my Master’s degree, but I didn’t have to be at work until early afternoon.
So I get up and walk out of our room to find…
A trail of Hershey’s kisses leading from our room to the living room.
Where on the table sat a small teddy bear, balloons, a devotional book, and a card. With more kisses, Dove chocolate hearts, and mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, he’d written I <3 U.
In the card?
Now that I’ve kissed the ground you walk on, will you be my Valentine?
Well, shoot.
What’s a girl to do when he does that, and you’ve got nothing planned in return?
It finally hit me…
Pee on a stick.
We’d been talking about being ready to start our family since we were almost done with our degrees, and I thought, well, why not? I dug around in the cabinet and found a pregnancy test. Took the test. Was so sure it would be no that I hopped in the shower to get ready for work without waiting to see the result.
With the entire bathroom (including my glasses) steamed over when I was done, I peered at it. Over the glasses, because I couldn’t see anything through them.
Matt & Maggie
Two lines.
Two very pink lines.
So I freaked out. Now what? But I had to go to work. I get home a few hours later, dig out a book I’d bought just in case – for someday – The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for the Dad-To-Be. I’d found it on clearance for like three bucks and was saving it for this day.
Matt gets home and I hand him the book, wrapped in leftover Sunday comics. I tell him to take it with a grain of salt (mostly because I wasn’t sure I believed the two lines). He opens it and was like “oh. thanks.” Yeah. Little too much salt there, buddy.
I pulled the test (safely ensconced in a Ziploc) out of my pocket, and I said, “No. Take it with a grain of salt, because I’m not sure I really believe this.”
He stared at me, dumbfounded.
Pretty much like I’d been for a few hours. Then it finally started to sink in.
He’d planned to surprise me, but I surprised both of us instead.
Photo by BR Photography
That October, we welcomed our first bundle of joy, a beautiful little girl named Linda Margaret (after my mother and a family name – every generation back to before the Revolution has a Margaret). She’s grown into a smart, beautiful, caring, talented young woman. (And cover model ;). She’s the teenager on the cover of Grace to Save!) Maggie plays a mean tenor sax – along with clarinet and she’s learning piano (and wants to learn pretty much every other kind of saxophone as well as bassoon). Her goal is to take over for her band director when he retires (the timing should be right!) and loves marching band (the Super Bowl is on right now… she just wants to know where the band is – after all, football is what happens on the band field before and after their performance…). In so many ways, she’s my mini-me (except I can only play the radio – and, on a good day, an app on my phone). She’s artistic and funny and my day isn’t complete without a stupid meme via text or more puns than I know what to do with.
Two years later, on Valentine’s Day, we found out she was going to be a big sister. That October, our second daughter was born – followed later by another daughter then our son. Their “finding out I’m pregnant” stories aren’t quite as Valentine’s Day-y though :D.
Since one of the kids found out about the “I <3 U”, they insisted Dad still needs to do it. So he does. Along with conversation hearts for the kids. They still love it!
What about you? What’s the best unexpected present you’ve received?
When she's not writing about her imaginary friends, Carol Moncado is hanging out with her husband and four kids in the big yard of their southwest Missouri home, teaching American Government at a community college, reading, or watching NCIS. She's a member of ACFW and RWA, President and founding member for the MozArks ACFW group, and a category coordinator for ACFW's First Impressions.
Carol, how beautiful! Love reading about your story, it is just lovely:)
My husband and I also met as students, so your description of simple gifts resonates. Best unexpected presents- my engagement ring and getting pregnant with our oldest son:)
Blessings, looking forward to your next book…
That’s awesome! I was pretty sure I knew the engagement ring was coming so not a surprise there – kid #3 was even a bigger surprise – but that’s a story for another time!!
Our first Valentine’s Day was when we were both students. My husband (boyfriend then) was cycling back home when he saw a florists and decided to stop. He only had 22 pence in his pocket and asked what he could buy for his girlfriend with that. I was given a lovely pink carnation – only one! – but the love behind it made it even more special.
Awww! How sweet! Matt had picked me up from school the night before with the balloons and stuff hidden in the back – and I never even noticed!
Thanks for sharing Carol. Valentine’s Day always makes me remember my German immigrant parents, who embraced their new country, its language, culture, and especially the holidays. Even though they never celebrated Valentine’s Day in Germany, I always received a gift and card for Valentine’s Day. Usually I received a new pair of summer PJ. My junior year in college, I received a Valentine’s Day package from home with homemade cookies and a pair of pearl earrings. The earrings were a special unexpected gift, since my mom had told me in her weekly phone call that all the pairs in town were too expensive. So I could not believe my eyes. I gathered all my change and ran to the dorm phone room to call home and thank my parents. This was Valentine’s Day 1970. Mom said they had found a pair on sale. I treasure that pair for what they represent – my parent’s love.
I certainly can identify with being low on funds for Valentine’s Day. Our first Valentine’s Day 1974 as a married couple, we were unemployed (he was laid off at Christmas) and we moved that day from his home town to a bigger town where we hoped he could attend seminary in the fall. All day we second guessed our decision to move. The Lord was good and provided our needs. The second time we moved on Valentine’s Day was in 2000, when we moved into the home we live in today. Having lived most of our married lives in apartments or church parsonages, this was a great leap of faith as we prepared for our retirement years. The Lord is good. We keep Valentine’s low key with a card, small gifts and a steak dinner at home.
Aw! That’s so sweet with the earrings! I love it! We keep it pretty low key these days too – usually just like the table up there is about it :).
What a lovely story. I don’t have quite a Valentine’s story like yours, but last month our baby boy, Samuel, was born, exactly two days after my birthday. He was due 1 month after my birthday, not 2 days after. He’s our greatest gift (talk about birthday present) and a perfect bundle of joy to start 2017 being thankful for our blessings (he’s healthy and perfect in every way, even though he was a bit early).
Aw! Welcome to the world Samuel! My son was born on my sister-in-law’s birthday and our best friends’ anniversary! Told them that was all they were getting that year ;). He was 30 days early so I totally get it (he wasn’t quite healthy – nothing TOOOOOOO serious in the long term scheme of things but bad enough, but being early had little to do with it).
Sam was born on my uncle’s birthday, which sounds like tradition in my family (to share birthdays) because I have cousins who were born on my dad’s birthday (different uncle’s daughters thought –it would have been too much of a coincidence).
Your husband is so sweet and what perfect timing for your surprise!
My husband and I don’t feel the need to do much for Valentine’s Day, but the best surprise gift – redoing a room in our house for my craft room! He planned it while he was receiving treatment for his cancer and that fall we painted walls and organized. He even built/welded a storage display for my punches. I still share with him, but you can tell it’s my space with scrapbook supplies, recipes, and paintings I’ve done. While not a Valentine’s gift, it was certainly a gift of love.
That’s so awesome, Julianne! I love it!
What a sweet story!
Thanks Merrillee!
Our biggest miracle was our third child. We miscarried three times after our first two children. When i was pregnant again with our youngest daughter i only thought how bad will the miscarriage be. The whole church prayed, while i was on bedrest for 5 months. Her due date was thanksgiving day. It was like a promise that she would be ok. She arrived two weeks early, healthy, thank the Lord. She married this summer after graduating from nursing school. She now is working in intensive care. God is good.
Aw! Diana! That’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear she’s doing well! Miscarriages are so hard and while they’re less taboo than they used to be – people still don’t talk about them much. It’s a hard burden. Big hugs!
what a beautiful story,I love it. and amazing that the second had another valentine story…kind of think it was a “God thing”. Hope this one has a special meaning for you to.
It was a God thing! And while the first time I was far enough along to get a solid “yes” test, I was two weeks further behind the next time! So a yes, but not quite so solidly ;). This one will probably be spent working – but that’s okay – I love what I do ;).
Awesome story!!! I don’t have anything really…I am due the 18th though, so we could be getting our own little girl on Valentine’s Day…We’ll see!
There you go! Enjoy your last few weeks – if you can! I know how uncomfortable it can be!
Loved your story, Carol! I’m named Margaret after my great-grandmother. She was called Maggie all her life, and hated it! So when I was about 5 she took me aside and told me to never let anyone call me Maggie :-) A few friends tried it, but it never stuck.
One unexpected Valentine’s gift was a dozen red roses when my fiance was stationed overseas before we got married. I was very impressed! Unfortunately, it turned out he happened to do it because a friend was sending flowers to his wife, The “tradition” has not been carried on :-) Although when we lived in Hong Kong he did try to find daffodils for me and they weren’t blooming yet.
Aw! Nicknames are such a personal thing. I refused to let anyone call my son anything but Christopher, but in school he does go by Chris – in part because it took him so long to write Christopher on his papers that he started writing Chris. When I’m around though… ;)
And at least he remembered when his friend did :D. Better than still forgetting!
I really enjoyed reading about your Valentine’s Day. Thanks for sharing your story. My husband bought flowers once and left them in my car for me to see when I came out from work. We were both still in college and he bought them from a roadside guy who gave him a great deal, so he could go home for the day. :)
Awww! How sweet!!!
Those are great memories to cherish. I love the story and twice you given your husband the best valentines gift ever. Enjoy your Valentine’s Day. ?
Thanks, Colleen! :D
I love your Valentine’s Day story! What a surprise lol. When my husband and I met it was in March, so past Valentine’s day. We married in October of that same year. So Valentine’s day hadn’t rolled around again yet. It’s pretty much just been another day ever since. Once the kids came along, I did stuff for them. Maybe I’ll get a surprise this year!
Biggest surprise was over 3 years ago when our daughter announced quite unexpectedly that she was pregnant (she didn’t know it at first). To say the least…I was shocked & really didn’t know how to feel. You see, she’s not married, her boyfriend lives with her so I wasn’t ready for her to have the first grandchild. Or even ready to be a grandma since I’m young yet to have that label (46)…lol! It really didn’t sink in until the day of my grand-girls birth almost 3 years ago on March 2nd. Now I can’t imagine my life without that little bundle chasing after me, giggling at all the silly things or saying “I love you” when we take her home after watching her. :-)
I know this was a Valentine’s post, but I really can’t come up with something unexpected from my husband. He knows I don’t really like surprises, but he does still get me every once in a while with either my favorite candy (Reeses of some kind) or a dinner date or something :-)
I love this Carol! That is all. Just love your stories. True, or made up!