love day

so i know that valentine's day is kind of fake.  it's not a real holiday and you should be loving and showering the people you love with blessings all year long.  we should never miss an opportunity to tell someone that they are special and that we care for them.  but.  but i kind of do love it.  if ben did nothing i wouldn't care, and i'm pretty sure he would say the same.  but an excuse to be extra-lovey-dovey and sweet, well i know i enjoy it.  i didn't decorate our house with anything love-ly or buy anything big.  just sweet notes and time together [and a combo bday + love day present that is on its way this weekend...woot woot].  benny on the other hand was unbelievably thoughtful and kind. he knows that i love it so he does go out of his way to celebrate life together with me, and from what i can tell, with a full heart.

do you see this?  do you know what that is?  yep, its cocktail sauce.  i had been craving it for the past few weeks and came home to all the shrimp and cocktail sauce a girl could want.  he even looked up whether or not pregnant ladies are supposed to eat shrimp [if you're curious, it is ok, 12 oz. is about all they'd like you to have in a day].  cocktail sauce may not be romantic for all, but for me - it was perfection.

he also made me brocoli cheddar soup which i had kind of been dreaming about ever since our support team made it for us before christmas.  that's a few months worth of dreaming.

i generally don't like store bought cards.  i'm much more of a homemade valentine kind of girl.  this year i found this one though and loved it.  it was us.

these gorgeous stems are still gracing our home.  our house is happier with flowers. 

i think i made a resolution once to start getting flowers for the house. that it would be my little treat. i haven't followed through. i really want some in the yard that i can bring in. i have been working on that a little. i'm not sure if i will reap the benefits just yet since my flowers are coming up 2 months early...but someday. someday. until then i'll enjoy these special little gifts.

a sweet friend from work brought in cupcakes topped with pink icing to celebrate our little lady on the way.  they were the perfect way for ben & i to end our love day meal.  thank you britt!

benny, thank you for taking such good care of me.  all the time not just on love day.  for a man who doesn't like to talk a ton, the things you do say plenty about your kind & generous heart.  i'm so blessed by all the ways you love me.  thank you for propping me up with a pillow this morning since i'm not supposed to sleep on my back. 

you are so dear to me.