no. 212 later than valentines day

home getting over the worst stomach bug EVER, i'm taking a minute to blog.

i had the best valentines day in as many as i can count this year-

(history lesson regarding the life of e and t)
team leader and i have only been valentines 6 of the 17 years we've been together
100% due to his job and all the places he has had to be over the years.
he has always been my valentine, and, i've always been his
but
watching other couples go out to dinner,
buy cutesie outfits for after dinner,
drink champagne and eat chocolate covered strawberries...
when you're not with your valentine
simply put
sucks.

because we can only control what we can control, we've redefined valentines day
we're more about us
and the family we've made together
valentines day in our house has grown from 2 valentines into 5.
i've said before
we know we are different
and
that i wouldn't put this life onto anyone
but for me
and for him
and for our 3
we've made it work.
(lesson over)


this year, we took each other skiing, a wonderful weekend in a beautiful corner of the black forest
where mr. ben got the best valentines gift...ski lessons!
where pres got hours perfecting the art of snowboarding!
where doodle bug got to swoosh up and down a hill stylishly!
where e and t got skiing time together...
little moments for us
on a sparkling white mountain
in the bitter cold,
as it was a beautiful day, and with clear skiing days comes brrrr!

best part of the weekend:
when we went up the slope with mr. ben
who was prepared to take the mountain on with force
who looked at us and said "i'm ready"
and then
as we were just getting set to go
heard pres and doodle
"WAIT BEN!!"

they had come
up the slope to
ski down it
with him.
the magic of the moment wasn't lost on his big brother and sister
it was a moment that parents wait their lives for...
i made a mental snapshot of that second-
the smile on his little face-
the excitement in his daddy's eyes-
the thrill of being as big and as ready as his brother and sister are-
it was a blink.
and then they all took off

our three little valentines
cheering each other on
racing down a mountain
happy to be together (the truest blessing of all LET me tell ya!!)
proud of their accomplishments
comfortable in this surrounding

3 hearts + 2 hearts = a family
later than valentines day

kisses and wishes
hope and virtue
umarmen und lieben
e