I called my mama on my lunch break. During the course of our conversation, she mentioned what she and Daddy did for Valentine’s Day. My parents will celebrate their twenty-sixth anniversary (According to my Franklin Covey planner, that calls for original pictures.) in May. Their relationship with each other and with their children is not exactly what you would call conventional — Daddy has always traveled a lot and taken plenty for the team in terms of weird work hours, Mama has always had to be the one to stay behind, they’re empty nesters, we’re more their friends than their children, etc. — but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
In true Allie form, I made a joke about dying alone (because I know at least three couples who had some sort of significant development in their relationship over the weekend) and how that feeling only worsened because it was Valentine’s Day. And what did my happily married mama have to say?
“Oh, please. Dad and I went grocery shopping with Granny. Valentine’s Day is not a real holiday. It’s stupid and completely created by Hallmark. It doesn’t count.”
Take it from the experts. Valentine’s Day sucks.
Also, Elizabeth, this is especially for you: Mama and I were talking about getting engaged over Valentine’s Day, and I was like, “I will say no! I will say no if my husband thinks it’s okay to propose on Valentine’s Day! I am not that kind of girl!” and all she said was, “Please let him know before … and please let me be there if that happens.”
Yeah, I pretty much have the best mom ever. Be jealous.
(In all seriousness, though, my mom is the best ever … and she’s totally my best friend, too, so I’m pretty darn lucky.)
2 Comments
February 17, 2009 at 9:16 am
I love your mom.
No Valentine’s Day proposal. Noted.
February 18, 2009 at 11:44 pm
I mean, come on. Is there anything about me that is cliche? Besides watching Bridget Jones at home alone on a Friday night, that is.