My heart belongs to Wesley

ALERT: Let this be your warning if you are not into sweet and a little bit sappy. Read no further. There's something about these holidays that tweaks my sentimental bone. Couple that with the fact that I forgot to buy Wes a card this year...

Wesley,

This is our 8th Valentine's Day together. Our first Valentine's Day was only a few days after we had gotten engaged...after dating for only four months. (But that's a story for another time.) And our second was after having been married for 6 months.

I recall a conversation between the two of us that year about whether we should buy each other gifts or not. I won't reveal who thought what, except to say that one of us ended up in tears. And Valentine's Day has been fully and liberally celebrated every year since then.

I will admit that I do love celebrations and this has put a good deal of pressure on you as my husband. Especially since you have to deal with my precarious mixture of love for surprises and my never-ending nosy nature (which I prefer to call curious)...it's not easy surprising someone who always assumes that she is going to be surprised. You managed to pull a good one off the year of my 30th birthday, which was not easy considering I had surprised you the year before and so, of course would expect the same for me.

If I could go back in time and whisper into my naive little newlywed ears, I would have so much to say. I would reassure myself that there would be plenty of big celebrations and romantic gestures over the years to come. I would pat myself on the back for being honest about what was important to me.

But most importantly, I would say, "Just you wait, Kaley. You think it's the big things that matter. You will discover that it's the hundreds and thousands of simple gestures that show Wes's love for you."

Things like:
-getting me coffee every morning, just the way I like it
-putting toothpaste on my toothbrush for me at night
-getting up early with the kids so I can attempt to catch up on sleep (which is BIG in my book)
-laughing at me when I attempt to be funny
-still sounding excited to hear my voice when I call
-knowing just when I need a hug
-calling to make sure I don't need anything at the store before coming home
-actually enjoying watching endless hours of American Idol with me
-somehow summoning up enough energy to keep up with our boys when you get home at night
-getting up late last night after I had fallen sound asleep, so you could get this ready:

note the missing swedish fish--courtesy of a certain three year old

I love how you love me, Wes. It is a deep love that shows up in countless ways. You are a good man, an amazing father, and the love of my very blessed life.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Love,
Kaley