Valentine's Day

We had such a fun Valentine's Day...always easier to celebrate a holiday when you have the day off, right?

Ryan started the day out right by treating me to breakfast! He made our favorite pancakes and some turkey bacon - and of course, coffee!!

And he treated me to a Valentine's Day gift: roses, Reese's peanut butter hearts, and a black and burlap "S" to put in our dining room. He knows me!!!!

You might remember that Ryan's wedding gift from me was a series of letters I wrote to him for years leading up to our marriage. {Before I even knew who he was!} He's still reading them and had noticed that the next one in line was one I'd written on a Valentine's Day back in 2007. So while we ate, he read that letter...my heart was filled with such hope on that day in 2007. I was so sure that marriage was just around the corner! This is the beauty of God not giving all the details up front!! Thankful for His faithfulness in that long season of waiting.

We exchanged our cards...{please excuse our bedhead. HA!! We were on vacation.}

And then I gave Ryan his gift. I'd been SO EXCITED about this present!!! I had a list of verses I used to pray over my future marriage...26 verses...one for every letter of the alphabet. So I made a scrapbook that featured every single verse I prayed, and a picture taken sometime since the start of our relationship that showed in some way how God had answered the prayer of that verse. He loved it.

It was a beautiful start to the morning!! After breakfast, we packed up the car and headed to Fort Wayne for our Valentine's Day outing: a dessert and coffee date at DeBrand Fine Chocolates. If you're not from around here...well, you're missing out. Fabulous chocolate. And such a fun atmosphere!! They were a bit packed that day {learned that lots of people wait UNTIL Valentine's Day to buy the goodies} but they were well-staffed and ridiculously efficient, and we didn't have to wait long!

We ordered the Ultimate Float and some coffee. Oh my word. People. PEOPLE!!!!!!!

 I cannot even put into words the goodness of this float.

We had the best time just savoring our dessert...enjoying each other's company. So good.

We drove around Fort Wayne a bit and then...checked into our hotel for the beginning of the marriage retreat!

{Yes, I brought my roses with me.}

It was a great day!! Thanks, Ryan, for treating me to such fun!