What Valentine's Day Means to Me

As someone who dislikes commercialism I was never fond of Valentine's Day.  I don't need florists, chocolate world, and Hallmark to tell me when to display romantic affection toward that special someone. I find it way more romantic to do it all year long at unexpected moments and/or every day in little ways, e.g., love notes in the lunch box, a love letter in place of a birthday card or Father's Day card, buying his favorite ice cream every now and then (even if it is the priciest one in the store), a back/shoulder rub without being asked, keeping my eyes pealed for items he can use in his hobbies when I'm out junkin, etc...So much more fun and meaningful then the over priced, hideous looking stuff at Wal*Mart.

February 14, 2002 forever changed the way I would look at V-Day.  I still don't view it the way businesses would want me to.  I'm still no sucker to all the hyped romance.  Valentine's Day became the day that took my life's journey on a right hand turn and started me on a path that would change me for good.

One of the first things that comes to mind about V-Day is Rattlesnake Rock

Doesn't sound very romantic does it? :)

It is located in Pine Creek which is the creek that runs through the bottom of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

And to the majority of you it probably doesn't look very romantic. :)

There was 2 of them, one boy and one girl.  They were visiting his parents on a weekend date from college.  The boy tells the girl he wants to go for a drive up to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon ~ a 1.5 hour drive. Turns out the directions from map quest in that day weren't very mapped out, it lead us to some cow path.  So the boy follows his instincts and takes the road running along Pine Creek.  It was a very chilly day, but the sun was bright, the sky was blue, and it was just the two of us ~ the makings of a really good day.

Driving down the road enjoying the scenery and wondering just where they were the boy spots something and girl goes through window. LOL Car goes into reverse and they zoom into a parking area. Boy mumbles un-intelligently about this looking like a neat place, want to check it out?  Girl agrees.  

Source
The path to the rock could be considered unnerving because who knew what rattler might be laying wait in the brush along both sides of the path. Thankfully it was a short walk :)
After a short look around the boy tells the girl to have a seat and leaves. Of all the nerve!! Leaving her out there by herself on a rattle rock. LOL So she sits and waits ~ waits for the boy to return and waits in hopes that no rattlers show up. Thankfully the wait wasn't very long :)

Source

Source

It was still just the 2 of them and getting down on one knee the boy asks the age old question "will you marry me?". It was not a fly-by-night question. It was one that had been given much thought. For you see they had both been raised with high standards toward marriage. Divorce would never be an option, so therefore you better make sure that when you finally ask that question you know 100% that this is the one you want to grow old with.  The girl had known for quite some time that this boy was the one, thus needing no time to thinking or pray about it she said yes :)

Wow were they young :) :)

There that day their individual journeys took a turn that started them down the same path together. 6 months later they would stand at an alter and make it forever official before God and man. 

True romance that would start the journey to not just change my last name but change my life. Valentine's became special in a way that commercialism can never duplicate.  It is the day that marks the beginning of one boy and one girl joining hands and hearts to be held together by God's love. It is a love that would hold them together through the fun times, the heartaches, the tears, the laughter, gray hair, and loss of hair :)

11 years later 4 small hearts have joined them on their journey and 2 very small hearts reside in Heaven where one day their love circle will never be broken. 

~Happy Valentine's Day from the boy and girl ~

(Man were we young and skinny) :P

Partying at:

Home & Garden - Thursday