The Best Valentine's Day EVER!!!

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching I thought I would tell you about my best Valentine’s Day EVER!  Let me start by telling you that I haven’t always been a big fan of Valentine’s Day.  I may have shared this with you last year, but in case you missed it, I didn’t meet my Mr. Right and get married until I was 37! Valentine’s Day is just not a true joy for an “old-maid” school teacher!!!   I spent many years dreading that one day in February when everyone wants to feel loved.  I knew my parents and my sister loved me.  I knew my niece and nephew just loved me to pieces, and I think my sweet, little second graders thought I was pretty awesome, but let’s face it, that is not the same as having your special someone love you!  

When Jon entered the picture, my views on Valentine’s Day changed.  Our first Valentine’s Day arrived and I got a dozen roses.  One rose was white because it was our first Valentine’s Day.  How romantic!! He sent roses for the next five years or so and then one year he just outdid himself!!!   This particular year I had been begging, pleading asking Jon what he thought about us getting another dog.  I reasoned with him that I really needed a “baby” and also, Bentley, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, needed a playmate.  I won’t go into my infertility issues here, but I just knew that a puppy would make me feel better.  He kept citing the many reasons why we didn’t need another dog.  I listened, but I continued to tell him I needed a “daughter”.  I REALLY wanted a little female Cavalier!!  The weeks went on and I asked Jon if we could contact the breeder who had worked with us to get Bentley, but to no avail.  I didn’t give up, I just figured the time wasn’t right. 

 

The night before Valentine’s Day, Jon and Seth and I went to dinner.  Before our dinner arrived, Jon handed me a package.  Seth was grinning like crazy!!!!  The beautifully wrapped box appeared to be a bracelet box.  I remember thinking that he had gotten me a new Brighton bracelet. Boy was I wrong!  Imagine my surprise when I opened the box and a tiny, pink rhinestone collar was in the box!  It had a little pink heart dog tag on it that was engraved with the name “Clarabel”. I looked at Jon and Seth in astonishment and asked Jon if he had talked to the breeder – were we getting a puppy from her next litter?  He replied, “No, I GOT you a puppy.  She is waiting on you at home.  We picked her up at the airport today!” I was so shocked and surprised!  As we ate dinner, he proceeded to tell me how he had saved a portion of his monthly bonuses for quite a while and had worked with a breeder in Oklahoma to find my sweet Clarabel!  (You will notice, I had named her even before I knew I was getting her!)  I, of course, knew none of this!  He had been corresponding with this lady for several months  He had received pictures of Clarabel, all of her papers, along with emails saying how precious she was, etc.  All of this he placed in a folder and gave to me while we enjoyed our dinner.  I remember thinking, “I don’t know how he did it.”  He had arranged to have her flown in on the day when he was off work and could pick Seth up at school so he could be with him when they went to pick our newest addition up at the airport.  I worked late and met them at the restaurant so I didn’t know that Clarabel was already waiting on me at home.  It was the most amazing present I had ever received!!!  We joke all the time that Jon doesn’t even need to try to top that Valentine’s Day.  It was just perfect!!  We all fell in love with our sweet Clarabel!  She is a constant reminder of that sweet, sweet day!!!

I love all these puppy pictures of her that Jon got from the breeder - isn't she the sweetest baby?

What is the sweetest, most special Valentine's present you have ever received? I would love to hear your story :-)