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February 8, 2012 by: Shell

Pour Your Heart Out: A Valentine from the Past

Sorting through a box in the garage, I find pictures from long ago: me as a baby, in elementary school, high school, college, first year of teaching, me as a young mom, my 7 year old as a baby, me pregnant with my second.

So many memories in one place.

And then I see it.

I knew I still had it.

A small envelope, wrinkled and torn, showing signs of age.

Ten years ago, that small envelope accompanied a dozen roses on Valentine’s Day.

They were waiting for me in the school office when I went up to check my mailbox during my break.

I eyed them a bit wearily.

Who were they from?

My mom, maybe.  She was convinced I’d die alone, ever since I walked away from my last relationship. Yes, even at only 24, that was Old Maid territory for her and the pity I heard in her voice whenever I would talk to her on the phone could easily translate into pity roses.

My best friend. We’d had a fight the day before.  Because he said something incredibly stupid about who I was choosing to date these days. I slammed the phone down on him. And refused to pick up when he called back.

My ex. A cryptic email from my ex’s best friend’s wife about if I had heard from him lately had me wondering what was going on.

Some random guy.  A possibility in those days, when my recent New Year’s resolution to not automatically say no had me going on a lot of dates.

The teacher down the hall. Who was becoming a really good friend… and lately, something more.

I walked out of the office and down the hall to my empty classroom, where I set the flowers down on my desk before I opened the card. Away from the nosy office staff and anyone else who would wonder who they were from.

I opened the note and smiled. Just one word was written on the card, but it was enough for me to know exactly who they were from.

Valentines day

Button.

“You know that saying, cute as a button?” he had asked me, months before.

After that, “Button” became his nickname for me.

The teacher down the hall.

Who would know that one word would be enough for me to know the roses were from him.

The one who just recently shook his head at me and claimed I couldn’t possibly still have this card.

Not from 10 years ago, on our very first Valentine’s Day together.  No way did I still have it.

10 years have passed. We were married about a year after that first Valentine’s Day. Moved more times that we care to count, had three kids, and gone through ups and downs.

But, I still have it. And it still makes me smile.

He still makes me smile.

If you are new to PYHO, you can check out more details about Pour Your Heart Out. If you are participating,  grab the button from the sidebar or add a text link to your post, and link up below. Don’t forget to visit other linkers!

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Comments

  1. Kristen says

    February 8, 2012 at 12:05 am

    I love this post. Like… Love it. I married a teacher too. But – I love the code – Button. And that you kept it. With a sweet smile – I’m headed to bed. Awesomeness. 🙂

  2. joanne says

    February 8, 2012 at 12:18 am

    what a beautiful post. A sweet memory that brought a tear to my eye and smile to my heart. Thank you.

  3. Cam - Bibs & Baubles says

    February 8, 2012 at 12:45 am

    I’m not sure that could have been any sweeter. What a beautiful memory and it’s great that memory AND he still makes you smile!

  4. momof12 says

    February 8, 2012 at 1:52 am

    What a fun story! Did you read mine about my first kiss? Some of the silly things we do when we we’re kids…
    Sandy

  5. Alison@Mama Wants This says

    February 8, 2012 at 2:04 am

    Gorgeous, romantic post, Shell. 

  6. Melissa says

    February 8, 2012 at 4:33 am

    That is the loveliest story I have ever heard. I’m so glas you kept the envelope to bring back that moment.

  7. Katrina says

    February 8, 2012 at 4:45 am

    Ahhhh….I love stories like this.  I’m a big fan of keeping “everything” for memory’s sake.  I’m glad you still have this special one to hang onto.
    Thanks so much for sharing!
    KatrinaThey All Call Me Mom

  8. jenn @ so this is love says

    February 8, 2012 at 5:33 am

    *cue AWWWWW* Sweet story 🙂

  9. Oka says

    February 8, 2012 at 6:22 am

    I love those special code words.  We have one we use for each other.

  10. Sorta Southern Single Mom says

    February 8, 2012 at 6:30 am

    I am, not surprisingly, a Valentine’s Day Scourge, but this made me smile. What a wonderful memory!

  11. JDaniel4's Mom says

    February 8, 2012 at 7:14 am

    It is not fair to make me cry before breakfast. Now I could end up with tear in my Cheerios!

  12. JDaniel4's Mom says

    February 8, 2012 at 7:14 am

    It is not fair to make me cry before breakfast. Now I could end up with tear in my Cheerios!

  13. Making It Work Mom says

    February 8, 2012 at 7:16 am

    So Sweet. I love the romance. He pretty sealed the deal on that Valentine’s Day, huh.

  14. Kate F. (@katefineske) says

    February 8, 2012 at 7:19 am

    I love finding those old mementos. Love it. And it can be fun to think about how far your relationship has come since.

  15. Vinobaby says

    February 8, 2012 at 7:28 am

    Aww… What a sweet story! I still have the card form the first flowers my Hubs bought for me, too. But he’s far better than I — he keeps my phone number, on a scrap of paper the night we met, tucked in his wallet. {sigh}

  16. Julie says

    February 8, 2012 at 7:42 am

    You still got that spark!!

  17. Heidi /I'm with Leia says

    February 8, 2012 at 8:10 am

    Oh Shell that’s just the sweetest story – brought tears to my eyes. Here in Denmark we don’t really celebrate Valentine but I still have the card I got with 10 roses delivered on my job when we had been together for 10 months.

  18. christina says

    February 8, 2012 at 8:17 am

    such a fabulous story!!!

  19. angela says

    February 8, 2012 at 8:32 am

    What a romantic story! I love that you knew each other well enough that one word meant everything on that card. Yay! for keeping it all these years 🙂

  20. Pamela says

    February 8, 2012 at 8:35 am

    This is a really sweet post:) Happy early Valentine’s Day!

  21. Galit Breen says

    February 8, 2012 at 8:38 am

    Oh my heart, Shell – adorable, lovely, and all that is good about love! 

  22. Alex@LateEnough says

    February 8, 2012 at 8:42 am

    Love the romance of this. {swoon}

  23. Jenn says

    February 8, 2012 at 8:47 am

    Sweet memory and what a lovely story. Thanks for sharing it. I love when I dig up something special unexpectedly.

  24. Teresa says

    February 8, 2012 at 8:54 am

    This made me tear up a little. Such a beautiful and precious memory!! I keep all of my greeting cards too. I love looking back on them from time to time.

  25. Tara R. says

    February 8, 2012 at 9:15 am

    I love that you kept the card all these years, the first term of endearment for you. I’ve done the same with cards and letters my husband has sent me – almost 30 years worth. I should put them all into some sort of album…. hmmm. 

  26. Lady Lazarus says

    February 8, 2012 at 9:17 am

    I’m gonna go ahead and blame hormones on this one, but this totally made me cry 🙂 So cute! I love it! (And I’m totally the type to keep stuff like that, too.)

  27. Kristen says

    February 8, 2012 at 9:19 am

    Okay, button?! I think your husband just scored some major points with all of us. I know he did me. That is the sweetest nickname! So awesome that you still have that card. I have a box like that too. Now that the girls are a bit older, I share some of it with them. The things that give them to back story to how their daddy and I fell in love.

  28. Caitlin MidAtlantic says

    February 8, 2012 at 9:20 am

    This is just the sweetest! I love that you kept – and were able to find – that Valentine. I’m terrible at keeping things (ironic, since I work in a museum), but I do still have a few memories tucked away in my desk.

  29. Emmy says

    February 8, 2012 at 9:23 am

    Awe love love it!! And yes, definitely something to keep!!

  30. Cindi says

    February 8, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Awe, so sweet and it’s awesome you still have that!

  31. Jessie Powell says

    February 8, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Ahhhh. That’s so sweet. Button. I’m glad glad glad they weren’t from your Mom or some random guy. (This from someone who has never met you or your Button face to face!)

  32. Barbara says

    February 8, 2012 at 9:49 am

    How sweet!  I still have everything the hubs has ever given me, he is still shocked when I remind him of things like this!

  33. imperfectmomma says

    February 8, 2012 at 9:52 am

    Oh my word so sweet!! I love this!

  34. Lisa says

    February 8, 2012 at 10:05 am

    I love this story so much. 🙂

  35. RoryBore says

    February 8, 2012 at 10:17 am

    I so love that you kept that all this time! my hubby has this habit of leaving love notes on my pillow and I have a box where I keep them. it’s amazing how much this touches Him. something so simple as the writing and treasuring of keepsakes, yet forms a bond so strong.

  36. Jocelyn | ScooterMarie says

    February 8, 2012 at 10:18 am

    Oh my gosh, this reminds me of the first Valentine’s Day card I got from my now-husband! It was the year I had moved to work in NYC, before he came out to live with me, and it was the sweetest card ever. Now I’m going to go home and look for that tonight, too. 🙂 Thanks, Shell – I loved this story!

  37. Joy says

    February 8, 2012 at 10:22 am

    That is just the sweetest!

  38. Where is the ME in Mommy? says

    February 8, 2012 at 10:53 am

    I LOVE that you kept the card!  I have every small scrap of paper, every post it note, every letter my husband has ever written me.  The written word is gold.

  39. Angel says

    February 8, 2012 at 10:56 am

    How sweet is that. I love it and the nickname. He must be from the south , that is so something we would say round here. I keep stuff like that as well. I have this letter Gene wrote me once when he was doped up on pain meds from a surgery on his other hand. He is not all out there with it usually and apparently these meds loosened him up a bit and he just let it all fly.

  40. Grumpy Grateful Mom says

    February 8, 2012 at 11:00 am

    Oh, very very sweet!   I love that he just wrote the one word and that you knew who it was from.    And I’m sure I’m a little slow, but I LOVE your new blog design!  It’s a perfect fit for you! 

  41. Brittany says

    February 8, 2012 at 11:01 am

    How lovely! You know I just started a post about the first flowers my husband ever gave me. I dried them and they stand in a tiny vase and I cannot believe I am lucky enough to have them and remember those days.

    And by the way, you totally are cute as a button!

  42. Practical Parenting says

    February 8, 2012 at 11:06 am

    Tears. This is beautiful, my friend. Love it.

  43. MiMi says

    February 8, 2012 at 11:31 am

    Aw! What a happy post! I love it.

  44. NJ @ A Pocket Full Of Dinosaurs says

    February 8, 2012 at 11:50 am

    I love it! I keep a lot of my old cards and letters too. Sometimes, it is so fun to go on a walk down memory lane.

  45. Jess says

    February 8, 2012 at 12:21 pm

    This is so sweet Shell! I’m glad you still have the card. What a wonderful keepsake to have. 

  46. Jen says

    February 8, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    Aw, that is just so sweet. 🙂

  47. Julia says

    February 8, 2012 at 12:30 pm

    So sweet! Now I want to rumage through my basement in search of memories.

  48. Kimberly says

    February 8, 2012 at 12:32 pm

    Shell this is so sweet! I love that you kept that card to look back at now.

  49. Adrienne says

    February 8, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    Awwww! So sweet! I love this post. I bet it made him smile that you had it. 🙂

  50. Brooke says

    February 8, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    Love it! I always tell my husband that all I want for any holiday if for him to write me a note 🙂 

  51. Ducky says

    February 8, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    I am not surprised <3

    I missed it again this week…I dont' know why I thought it was on Thursday. I'm going to catch it next week assuming I can manage to type it. Been sitting on my PYHO for awhile. Stinks being raw.
    Happy Puffy Valentine Hearts to you!

  52. Kir says

    February 8, 2012 at 1:20 pm

    my heart just smiled…I love your nickmame and how he still makes you feel…it’s a wonderful thing, to love and be loved.

    I am so glad you are loved like that…and that the cute is still going strong. xo

  53. Helene says

    February 8, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    Aw, this is so incredibly sweet!  I love that you saved it and I’ll bet that really touched him!  I’ve saved everything that Tim has ever given me, including the very first pair of earrings he gave me on our first V-Day together (the same day he told me for the first time that he loved me).  I made the mistake of letting Bella wear those earrings to school one day and I never saw them again.  I was so heartbroken.  And I’ve learned my lesson to never share sentimental things with my daughter!!!

  54. brittney says

    February 8, 2012 at 1:53 pm

    awww that is so sweet 🙂 true love stories are always awesome!

  55. Venassa says

    February 8, 2012 at 2:09 pm

    Aww that made me smile. I always keep stuff like that, just for these reasons. 

  56. Natalie says

    February 8, 2012 at 2:13 pm

    I love this! My husband and I first started dating at Valentine’s as well…so February is a special month for us. Glad to hear he still makes you smile!

  57. Not a Perfect Mom says

    February 8, 2012 at 2:39 pm

    that’s so sweet you still have it! I’m so worried about becoming a hoarder (thanks to A&E) that I throw too much shit out that I should keep

  58. KeAnne says

    February 8, 2012 at 3:15 pm

    Aww, that is so sweet! I found a box like that recently myself and wow, what a walk down memory lane.

  59. Lourie says

    February 8, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    Awww how cute. ANd of course you would still have it!!! That is a great story to share with your grandkids one day. 🙂

  60. Christine Trevino says

    February 8, 2012 at 3:34 pm

    Precious precious precious!  Love those stories!  I still have all the notes my husband got me.  I’m hosting my first link party on Friday (February 10) about love stories – dating, engagement, marriage, or lessons learned.  Would love to have you link this up!

  61. tricia says

    February 8, 2012 at 3:44 pm

    SO sweet. 🙂

  62. Katie says

    February 8, 2012 at 4:03 pm

    So sweet! Kind of melts your heart:) I save stuff like this too and when we get a minute to look back at the past it puts us right in that very moment!

  63. Cass says

    February 8, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    very cute! I recently found an old poem from ten years ago too that I’m thinking about blogging about today. It’s Thursday here, but it’s still Wednesday there, right?

  64. Jennifer says

    February 8, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    Awww. That is so sweet.

  65. Tayarra says

    February 8, 2012 at 5:13 pm

    Ahh, love! Especially when you’re falling into it. One of the best feelings. I find myself wanting that feeling again and then wake up to the realization that when I was in that space I prayed, dreamed, wished to be in this space.

Trackbacks

  1. Wellness Wednesday: Dear Fat | My break-up letter to fat | The Misadventures of Mrs. B says:
    February 8, 2012 at 9:50 am

    […] I am again, Pouring My Heart Out with Shell.  Have you ever taken the opportunity to pour your heart out with her and her […]

Welcome to Things I Can't Say: Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom. I'm Shell. Boy mom, beach girl, bookworm, ball games, baker, brand ambassador, Thinking yoga, food, and travel should start with "b," too. Finding the easiest way to do some things while overthinking so many others. Read More…

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