Valentine's Day

So, sweet readers, I know you’ve all been a bit anxious for an update on what I got for Valentine’s (since I’ve been alluding to it for about a week)…but that’s not what this post is about.

It’s better than that.

Last night, although I had a fabulous home cooked dinner by the cutest chef out there, I didn’t get my gift (thanks, Amazon…booo). I will, instead, get it on Sunday. I promise you’ll get a recap then. (If I have to wait, so do y’all – mwahaha).

I would, however, like to share a story from last night with you all.

First, some back-story.

A few weeks ago, I showed up at church SUPER excited about an idea I’d had in the shower that morning. See, I’d been lamenting the fact that, despite wanting to, I would not be able to pull off owning my own cupcake/cake/pie/marshmallow shop while still employed full time at a job I love (and am not willing to abandon to play baker). But, mid-shampoo, I realized I COULD – at the Farmers’ Market! I could open up a cute little booth and sell cute little cakes to cute little kids and it would be…cute (to say the least). Brilliant, right?

Well, I go to tell The Boy about it, and he responds with “Hmm, bet you have to have a license. And I bet there are permits. And a waiting period. And tons of other rules. And [a-thousand-other-reasons-it-won’t-work etc.]”

Um, thanks for the support, babe. Such a typical male, jumping straight to the logical side of things rather than just saying “Wow, Hun! That’s a fantastic idea! Let’s look into that!” (This is why I call Mom when I’m excited…)

I gave him a hard time for his response for the rest of the day (jokingly, of course, but still…), then we basically dropped it and haven’t talked about it much since. I decided I probably couldn't have pulled it off anyway. 

Fast forward to last night.

In the middle of the first course, I realize that sitting on the otherwise beautifully set table was a random manila envelope.

Not one to leave things alone, I asked what it was. He responded “Oh, that’s for you. It’s not your present, but I’ve been wanting to give it to you for a while now, and tonight just seemed like a good night. You can open it if you want.”

Uhhhh, yes please!

Then he went on to say that I had to open it exactly like he had it laid out and I had to let him explain each piece as I looked at it. Seemed easy enough.

This is what was in the envelope:

Guys, it’s an application, already filled out, to have a cupcake booth at the Bentonville Farmers’ Market.

Not only had this sweet, wonderful, amazing boy gone out and found the application, he’d done additional research on the rules and regulations and included an annotated vendor’s guide (marked up to call out the pieces that applied to vendors selling baked goods).

I just sat there and stared at the contents – lost somewhere between excitement and tears.

Then, I realized there was another small envelope in the packet.

This one:

That envelope contains a single blank check, filled out by him, to cover the booth fees for as many weeks as I want to be there.

At that point, the tears won out. Big time.

How incredibly blessed am I?

Sure, that “isn’t my present,” but what he gave me in that envelope meant more than anything I could have imagined I’d receive last night.

I couldn’t be happier.