We’re simple people around here. Before kids, Valentine’s wasn’t that huge of a deal. Now? Like any parent knows, step aside major holidays, because there is an exorbitant display of glitter-glued heart-shaped cards that need to squeeze their way onto the fridge before it gets ugly. Put down the red construction paper before Mommy gets cranky.
But is celebrating love such a bad thing? After we sift through all the kids’ parties, the primary truth remains: my husband and I got ourselves to into this messful of sparkly cupid-themed events because we love each other. Our kiddos are the result of a relationship that has bloomed and grown and seen more burned pasta dinners that I’d like to admit.
We met in college, young, foolish and full of crazy suburban dreams. He was the swoon-worthy hot thing on roller blades and I was a goner. Fifteen years later, I still get pretty light-headed whenever he gets snuggly. He’s hot stuff, and he’s my hot stuff. He’s also a gem that annoys the crap out of me when he makes his random paper piles throughout the house, but that’s another matter for another time.
My husband and I are different people. Very different people. He sees black and white; I’m all shades of grey. He delights in the idea of keeping bees; I would rather shoot myself than tend buzzing insects. He understands things like science; I run around asking, “But really, how do you feel?” and acknowledging silly things like emotions. We shouldn’t work together, but somehow we do.
There are many moments I look at the man and wonder if we are speaking the same language. I am guessing my Urban Decay obsession makes little to NO sense to him. Also, could he please not take up 3/4 of the bed? I’m not entirely sure I won’t strangle him with our decade-old duvet cover before the end of another day.
But the thing is, even when the stuff of life makes it seem so fantastically unlikely that we will still be able to love on, much less like each other, I will get some sort of a reminder. A reminder like two cards.
You see, Christmas came this year, and we exchange cards. There are quite few fancy stores around here, places like Target and the grocery store and the Dollar Store. All of which sell cards. Different cards. So how unusual that when woke on Christmas morning, we discovered that we gave each other the exact same card. Out of all the dozens upon hundreds that were out there for sale…
Or maybe, not so unusual? Because when it’s a match, however unlikely it may seem, it’s a match.
xo, Dr. J, and happy Valentine’s Day.
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Cindy Gabriele says
Your love will shine on just my husband Gary & Me, two totally different people as well. what we have learned over the past 38 1/2 years is that we compliment each other, one is strong when the other is weak, one is silly (guess which of usbI mean), when the other is serious, but through the years we are one!
Meredith says
And what a perfect “one” you are, Cindy! Happy Valentines’s!
Sisterhood of the Sensible moms says
Awww, Meredith. I have a match very much like yours and it just works. So well said. Love this so much. Erin
Meredith says
To all those unlikely perfect matches, Erin 😉
Mama G says
What a lovely post Meredith, you wrote something very similar to what I said to a friend yesterday in an email. Mr G and I are so different, but I think it works because we’re polar opposites? He’s a dreamer – which drives me mad at times, so I’m able to bring him down to earth with a dose of realism when needed. But he can also entice me to have fun when I’m being too rigid and pragmatic. On all the important things, morals, views etc, we’re the same, and I think that’s the most important thing. I couldn’t be in a relationship with someone racist or homophobic etc.
We’ve also been together 15 years 🙂 We only exchange a card on Valentines Day. He buys me flowers and we buy each other little surprises all year round. I’m cooking him a steak dinner and attempting to recreate a pudding he had the other day in a restaurant >.< Have a lovely Valentines Day, whatever you are doing xx
Meredith says
Love it, Mama G! Sound like you have a such a great match. Hope the pudding worked out fabulous :)!
Frugalistablog says
Now I feel like I’m watching a Little House episode. Amazing. One year my husband gave me an identical card. To the one he gave me the previous year!
Meredith says
Ha! I think that has probably happened around here too 😉
Paige Kellerman says
I seriously love this. And I also understand your Urban Decay obsession. No need to explain.
Meredith says
Friend, thanks for always “getting” the important stuff…
WhenCrazyMeetsExhaustion says
I am the random paper piler in this piece, but my husband claims to love me in spite of it, too. Guess you two really are good people.
Go snuggle with that hotness you call your husband and have a glass of red for me, would ya? 😉
Meredith says
Always have you covered with the red ;), and I love you even though you are the paper-piler. xo.
Lisa @ The Golden Spoons says
I love this story! My husband and I are similar in that, separately, we are very different personalities. However, together, we just work. Despite our differences, we have lots in common and always (almost) seem to land on the same page.
Meredith says
That’s exactly it–as long as you can land on the same page (or at least close to it 😉 ) at the end of the day. 🙂
Shay says
That is awesome!
Meredith says
Works for us (mostly!), Shay!
Michelle - You're my favorite today. says
Aw! I love it. He’s your OTP as my girls say — “Your One True Pair.” (yeah, I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense if you really analyze it, but just go with it.)
And I got two cards for Valentine’s Day this year.
The two cards that he bought me four years ago, forgot to give me, which now live in the cluttered cabinet and he now pulls out and hands to me every VD. It was funny the first few years…
😉
Meredith says
Oh my goodness! I kind of love your two cards…sweet and perfect in so many ways. And OTP! Using this now–thank your girls, Michelle–and thank you! 🙂
barbara cianciulli says
Just too sweet!
Meredith says
Thanks for reading, Barbara!