My Other Valentine

Seventeen years ago, I woke up not knowing that I would meet a very important person that day:  my son.  I remember going into labor and finishing up my errands, including a stop at the bank, where the teller asked me "When are you going to have that baby?"  I have to admit, I enjoyed the look on her face when I said, "I think today."  I then soldiered on to Food 4 Less, where I would periodically stop the cart and stare intently at some frozen food through a contraction.

Josiah made his appearance in the evening, and I remember my dad stopping by the hospital to visit and then saying, "Gotta go!  I'm taking my wife out for Valentine's Day dinner."

Eventually, after the visitors departed, and we got settled into our room for the night, I shuffled off to the bathroom, again.  As I hobbled back to my bed, hospital gown gaping in the back, Paul looked up at me and said, "Those aren't exactly the lace panties I imagined you wearing on Valentine's Day."  He was referring, of course to the awful net/mesh things they give you to hold pads in place after childbirth.  At the time, I was too worn out to see the humor in it, but it's become one of my favorite stories, and as I thought about it this morning, I think I realized why.  He desired me.  Every woman wants to feel desirable.

Josiah was 3 months old in this picture.  And yes, my husband looks 12.  We were so young.

Once Josiah was born, Valentine's Day became a birthday in our house.  There are token displays of marital affection, of course, but the focus is on Josiah.  I think that's often the way it is with marriage and children.  Once the kids come along, you get busy with them and forget to connect intentionally with each other.  And yet, one of the best gifts you can give your children is a healthy marriage!  We just need to remember to be deliberate about it.

Now this fluffy little baby boy is seventeen years old.  Before we know it, our babies grow up and fly the nest, and we're left with our memories and our spouse.  Let's focus on keeping that relationship strong, both for now, and so that we can enjoy the empty nest years.

One way we can do that is through reading encouraging marriage books like Empty:  A Couple's Study Of Marriage, and My Beloved and My Friend, How to be Married to your Best Friend Without Changing Spouses.  Have you entered to win the His & Hers giveaway?  Today is the last day!

We teach our children about marriage as we live out our own.  If we want them to have happy relationships with their own spouse later in life, we need to figure out how to model that for them.  I wish you all the best this Valentine's Day as you seek to enrich your own marriage.

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