Smitten

During college, I met my husband at a Bible Study, the first week of my freshman year. Our dorms were located near each other and after our first date the night we met, we kept the sidewalk worn out as we found reasons to meet to talk or study.

We had a favorite tree to sit under outside my dorm to just be together. We were practically a permanent fixture attached to the tree roots each evening. When we visit the campus today, our children can point out the tree. They usually say, "There is your tree!"

When Valentines Day rolled around one year at college, I wanted to do something to catch my sweetie' attention. As an Elementary Education major I had access to large roles of construction paper and poster board which we used for bulletin boards. I worked late one night to make a huge Valentine card. I then had to make a custom sized red envelope.

It caught his attention and that of all of his dorm buddies as well. My husband returned from class to find a red envelope leaning outside his dorm room. It covered half of the door and had hearts and kisses all over it.

I have never made a homemade Valentine card for him since then. He has given me candy, potted plants, jewelery or more traditional items most Valentines Days since then. We've eaten out and gone to movies to celebrate. One Valentines evening was spent in the hospital for the delivery of our third daughter--a red head.

We have now been married over twenty eight years. We weathered four children, graduate school and medical school. We still have that huge valentine card, saved from the college days. It is stored under our bed and we stumble across it occasionally and have a laugh. It seems to take us right back in time. Those days don't seem so long agoo because we are still smitten.

One thing we have learned over the years. The verse inscribed inside our wedding bands is true:

Two are better than one...

If one falls down, the other helps him up...

If two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:8-12