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Valentine’s Shmalentines

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Love, when it is still new and shiny, can be very uncertain territory.  About fifteen years ago, my husband and I were still new in our relationship.  So new, that he thought I was being coy when I stated that Valentine’s Day was not a holiday I put much stock in.  It just isn’t.  It’s a day when people who love each other are obligated to publicly display that love with gifts and/or flowers and for single people to feel isolated and sad.  What kind of holiday is that?  (I do celebrate it with my kiddies though.)

I love my husband every day…no more and no less than I do on February 14.

I totally should dig out the photos from the before children time but I am lazy.
I totally should dig out the photos from the before children time but I am lazy.

But there is a Valentine’s Day that I will never forget.  It was our first and possibly the last one we celebrated.

Our first Valentine’s Day together we were in Miami, where my mother lived.  Yes–this was the first time I brought him to meet her.  My new boyfriend, who was a submariner with the US Navy at the time, had just gotten back from patrol so didn’t have time to go shopping for a Valentine’s gift.  He had confessed to me that he had previously broken up with girls before Valentine’s Day so he wouldn’t be obligated to buy a gift or take them out!

Since he wanted to spend every second of our trip with me (because I am awesome), he asked my mother, whom he had just met, to grab me a Valentine’s Day gift from him.

My beautiful mom
My beautiful mom

My poor sweet boyfriend.

1) He really should have believed me about Valentine’s Day but he was a boy that was used to girls that really cared about this day.

2) He really should have asked anyone else in the world besides my mother to get the gift.

My mom is pretty cool.  However, her idea of a Valentine’s gift for a new girlfriend are probably not the norm.  I am pretty sure Hubs expected her to get me chocolates and a card or a bear.  Not my mother.

My mom likes pretty, frilly, lacy things.

My mom doesn’t care that he had only known me a few months, most of which he spent under water with no communication with the outside world.  (Please note:  being a submariner’s wife or girlfriend is not the easiest thing in the world.  Actually it sucks.)  There’s no shame in her game, either.  She got me a gift that she would have liked to receive herself.

That evening, he gave me a perfectly wrapped box, which clearly was my mother’s handiwork.  He had no idea what was in the box, but he didn’t mind me opening it in front of her since she had picked it out!

I pulled out several pairs of the laciest, ruffliest, sheerest panties I had ever seen in my life.  His face turned bright red.  Just like one of the red thongs dangling from my finger. I don’t know if it was because of the gifts or because the woman he just met purchased them for me from him.  But, I will never forget that day.41363_1474683232798_90078_n

As a matter of fact, I will never forget that trip.  We had a great time.  My mother cooked all sorts of delicious Filipino food for him. She had a big party and she and Hubs got drunk together.  My drunk boyfriend told my drunk mother late that evening that he was going to marry me.  She said, “okay” and laughed.  The last laugh was on me. I got the fancy underpants and an almost-but-not-quite-marriage proposal.  (He never did ask me.)

 

Mama’s Losin’ It

About Herchel Scruggs

Hi there! I'm a crafty mom searching for ways to streamline the messier side of motherhood. Looking for fun, functional crafts, quick and thrifty DIY projects, or tips to improve your family's health and well-being? I'll share what we do and hope you'll share your family's tips too!

Comments

  5. Emily M. Hammann says

    LOL, this is a great story. Your mom sounds pretty cool to me. And the picture you shared of her in a Hooters tee…. fantastic!! I love your mom for that!! You have a beautiful family, and I definitely think this is a Valentines story you should share with your children when they are grown. 🙂 Visiting from #SITSblogging
    Emily M. Hammann recently posted…Letting my spirit soarMy Profile

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  9. Gracielle says

    This is so funny and awkward that your mom bought your valentines day gift for your boyfriend and she got you sexy underwear. What?! That’s just cray. And she’s wearing a Hooters shirt. She must be awesome! My hubs and I didn’t celebrate this year. He had work tonight…but when I got home from work he gave me a gift of a new keurig. I didn’t even ask for one, but he knows I love coffee. He’s so sweet! “Nice to meet you via #SITSBlogging 🙂 ” LOL
    Gracielle recently posted…Free Printable – Bubble Valentines LabelsMy Profile

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  14. Emily says

    Oh I agree! Valentine’s isn’t such a big holiday for my husband and me either. Plus, his birthday is 10 days after V-Day so he knows he is going to get a present sooner or later. LoL! Stopping by from the SITS Girls!
    Emily recently posted…Unextreme Snow CreamMy Profile

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    • Herchel says

      Thanks for stopping by Emily! I am happy for all my friends that do enjoy Valentines with their significant others. It just isn’t one I stress about. I don’t judge how much I am loved by flowers or chocolate…ok, maybe chocolate but I should get chocolate all the time not just Valentines Day!

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  17. Herchel says

    It is weird from a new boyfriend who didn’t know he was getting them for you!

    I actually think it’s a great gift for a couple who is at the stage of their relationship were it wouldn’t feel weird to them to be given and received in private. My husband has picked out things for me as gifts (online though) from a major lingerie retailer but we’ve been married a long time now and my mom didn’t pick them out!

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  18. Sandy Sandmeyer says

    Oh my, that would have been soooooo embarrassing! If it’s any consolation, my husband never did ask me to marry him. We just decided to go ring shopping one day and that’s that day we tell everyone we were engaged. I didn’t get my ring for about 3 weeks after that day, because he had to actually pay for it first. 🙂
    Sandy Sandmeyer recently posted…Glade® PlugIns® Scented Oil Customizables™My Profile

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