Four years

I was going to post this in a more timely fashion, that is, on February 13, but we've had a lot going on lately so I didn't get to it. Plus, I gave up Facebook for Lent, so that has had me coming to the computer less and less (a GOOD thing!!).

Four years ago I was finally at a point in my life where I was happily single--a place that was uncharted territory for me since the first grade. Literally. I had been talking back and forth with a guy about buying his dad's old, beat-up pickup. In between our conversations, the pickup was sold. The guy left a message on my machine expressing his regret, and that I could "call back if you want to." Though I really thought he wasn't interested, I did call back. I didn't realize until the phone was ringing that it was Valentine's Day. Oops. Well, I thought, I guess I will find out if he has a girlfriend. We talked for about an hour, I safely assumed he was single, and I headed out to go to a horseman's event with my Dad, who was batching since my mom was in Fargo awaiting the arrival of a grandchild! "Happy Valentine's Day," we told each other awkwardly as we hung up the phone. After a meet-up at a friend's birthday a couple weeks later, we were calling each other more regularly.

This is that guy...

The next year Jon and I went skiing at Bridger Bowl near Bozeman, MT. We had been discussing marriage for some time, and figured we would be getting married in the summer. But since I didn't have a ring, I couldn't make wedding plans! As men just don't understand what all goes into planning a wedding, I kept hinting to Jon that in order to plan our wedding, I really should have a ring. He did not know at the time that I had already bought the dress. I was afraid he'd think I was creepy and call the whole thing off. But it was on such a good sale and I had never seen a dress quite like that, so I just had to buy it.

...and Jon married me anyway!!

We headed to Bridger the weekend of Valentine's Day. Jon kept saying that he wouldn't propose on Valentine's Day, but in my wedding-planning anxiety I just kept on beating the dead rotting horse-corpse. I didn't know at the time that he had taken time off work and bought the ring long ago.

February 13 came with some excitement as I went downhill skiing for the first time on a "real" ski mountain. He was a bit preoccupied with his cell phone, so I was on somewhat high alert. After a good lunch at the lodge, we headed up to the highest part of the mountain that we could be on (without a shovel, radio and ski buddy).

 

It was there that Jon popped the question! I will say that I hadn't fallen down yet that day, but after that I kind of lost my balance the rest of the afternoon and fell down four times.

Our first Valentine's Day as a married couple we spent in town; I on the couch sick and Jon whipping up some scrumptious chicken noodle soup, which tasted great at the time, but . . .

Jon refused to not kiss his wife on Valentine's Day, so the next day found him on the couch fighting the same bug as I'd had. Thankfully it was fast because we were on our way to go skiing the next day. Jon jokes that he still wasn't in his right frame of mind as we bought a new pickup on our way by. You see, we had to have a four-door, 4wd vehicle for our next plan...

I think he's still delirious.

who was in my belly the next Valentine's Day. Unfortunately neither one of us can remember what we did last year. I think Jon got me some nice flowers and we probably went out to eat!

This Valentine's Day was also low-key. Thursday night is "tv" night at our house, so Jon made finger steaks, we had some candy and vegged out in front of the tube. Which was just what I wanted to do!