Dear Husband....Love, Wife

Around this time last year I listed some of the weird and wacky ways in which my husband and I keep the divorce lawyers at bay home fires burning here at the House of Leprechauns.

Our Wedding Dance: October 2003

In the spirit of those lists and in true "Us" style,  this was one of a series of infuriating yet oddly endearing conversations we had today, Valentine's Day:

Mark: Oh, by the way, thanks a lot.
Me: For what?
Mark: For leaving the gas gauge on empty in your car.
Me: It's my car. I was going to fill it later today.
Mark: Wish you'd told me that before I filled it up.
Me: You filled it up? Thank you!
Mark: Happy Valentine's Day!

All Smiles, 2009

A little while later:

Mark: Is this coffee fresh?
Me: Yep.
Mark: Like, "this-morning-fresh" or  "you-just-heated-up-yesterday's-to-trick-me fresh?"
Me: This morning fresh.
Mark: Thank you.
Me: Happy Valentine's Day!

La Famille Bellymonster

Post-coffee:

Me, from the bathroom: So what's on your agenda today?
Mark, from the bedroom: Stuff.
Me: Are you gonna expand on that?
Mark: Can I see you naked?
Me: Yep.
Mark: Really?!?!
Me: Happy Valentine's Day!

Funny how most photos of us are from other people's weddings...

This afternoon, as Mark rushed about getting ready for hockey and I filled him in on my day:

Me: So, I cried in class again today.
Mark: That's my girl.
Me: What is WRONG with me, blubbering all the time?
Mark:  You're just sensitive.
Me: Is that another of saying I'm a big suck?
Mark: No. Well, yes. But in a good way.
Me: Is there a good way to be a bawling mess at every little thing?
Mark: Yeah. YOUR way.
Me: Really?
Mark: Happy Valentine's Day. Check the printer.

Trying to recreate our wedding dance, 8 years later.
Failing miserably.
Laughing hysterically.

Pause for me to race  down the stairs and snatch up the wonderfully mushy card (heartfelt, handwritten message and all!)  and oh-so-coveted-newest Nora Roberts book:

Me: You got me a card AND a book!
Mark: Yep.
Me: I didn't get you anything.
Mark: I don't want anything.
Me: Not even a card?
Mark: I don't like cards.
Me: Oh.
Mark: I like when you write me stuff, just not in cards. Just, you know, YOU writing ME stuff.
Me: Really?
Mark: Really.

Now:

Me:  This is ME writing YOU stuff. I love you. Happy Valentine's Day.

Us, being....well...us!