Valentine’s Day was incredibly perfect this year, and I saw my wife for maybe 15 minutes total.  We worked all day, and by the time the wife and kids and I all got home my oldest daughter and I had a date.  See, we watch Survivor together.  If you read my blog it’s probably been written about the most.  But, it’s our thing.  And she is so busy that we have to find time to watch it.  So, we settled on tonight.  Did I remember it was Valentine’s Day when we were planning when to watch it, No, but remember I’m dumb.

But, nothing, and I do mean nothing gets in the way of whenever my daughter tells me she has time to watch an episode.  I’ve not seen Bruins Playoff games, Celtics playoff games, even a few Patriots ones.  I don’t say I missed them, because I was not missing anything.  I was watching my favorite tv show with my buddy.  It’s without a doubt my favorite time I get to spend with her.  She never ever makes it to the end of the show.  If the episode is an hour she’s asleep 50 minutes into it, if the episode is 2 hours she’s out 1 hour and 50 minutes into the show.  As the show ends I nudge her and tell her to go to bed and she mumbles half asleep about who got voted out.  She never remembers because the next day she always asks “who got voted out?

My wife and I have been together for a lot of years.  If you are married you know.  Valentine’s Day used to be flowers and massages and …. But, as the years pass and the kids start to show up nothing about spending time together is guaranteed.  Sometimes, you just hate each other.  You know, those times where you just can’t stand your husband or wife.  Like every move they make you want to murder them.  “I can’t believe she is chewing that loudly”.  Of course you LOVE them, but sometimes you don’t like them.  If you are married and don’t know what I am talking about you are lying.  Or sometimes everything is good to go and a kid just decides tonight’s the night they are gonna eat skittles for dinner and puke their brains out.  So the kid takes my spot in bed and I clean up some puke and sleep in their tiny bed.

As I was watching Survivor tonight I could hear my wife and youngest daughter upstairs laughing hysterically.  I love hearing my wife laugh.  Sometimes her life is hard.  She works a ton, and when she is not working she is worrying about the next bill or whatever happens to be the latest concern to one or our kids.  So, when she laughs uncontrollably it makes me very happy.  It takes her a lot to let go and just be silly.  I do most of the silly in the house.  So, if she was just like me we would be in big trouble.  She keeps wherever this family is moving to on the right path.  So, when I hear that laugh it fills me with pride.  It’s my favorite sound she makes.

I did get to stop and see my God daughter on my way home from work.  I walked into her house and she was eating lobster with her Mammie and Bupa.  Lobster dinner for a 4 year old!  Tough life she leads.  I spent a few minutes with her, gave her a little gift and I was on my way.  I love that she lives close enough that I can see her whenever I want.  The world’s coolest 4 year old is my buddy and I love getting to watch her grow up.

As I sit and type this it is 10 pm on Valentine’s Day.  The house is silent.  The kids, wife and even the dog have called it a night.  I poured myself another glass of Malbec and I saw when I went to put something in the fridge that the bottle of Pinot Grigio I had bought for my wife was half gone and I smiled.  So, we weren’t together on Valentine’s Day.  We didn’t sneak in any cuddling.  We barely even saw or talked to each other.  There was nothing typical about this Valentine’s Day.  No flowers or dinners or holding hands.   But, it was a PERFECT night.  All of my tribe falling asleep with a smile on their faces.  All under the same roof.  This home, our home, is my favorite place to be.  Who’s luckier than me?