Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

I hate Valentine's Day. I'm good with Mother's Day and Father's Day (although my hunch is that they, too, were created as a conspiracy by Hallmark) but I just don't like Valentine's Day.

What really bugs me is the idea that Tim would buy me flowers and candy and take me out to dinner because he feels obligated to. Now I know, I know, I know, that he loves me and cares for me and just looks for great opportunities to shower me with affection (right?), but I want him to do it because he wants to do it, not because the calendar tells him to.

Every year we have the same conversation the week before Valentine's day. I say, "I really, really, really, don't want to do anything next week. Please, pick any other day of the year to write me a card or buy me candy and tell me how much you love me (as a matter of fact, the candy can be a weekly deal), but not on Valentine's Day."

It took a few years for Tim to figure out that I wasn't trying to trap him, but now he is willing to honor my request. And he is great at doing thoughtful things year-round. I am certainly not starved for love or affection, and I am thankful.

Tim used to write sweet notes to me on our bathroom mirror using either my eyeliner or my concealer (I don't wear lipstick). It got expensive. One day I put a jar full of markers on the counter.



I started with Crayola magic markers, which work great and are nice and bright (easy to read) but if the bathroom got too steamy they started to run down the mirror. I switched to dry erase markers, which don't run and are easy to clean, but aren't quite as bright or fun. What a conundrum, huh?

Anyway, the markers allow us to leave each other notes. They are a simple thing that keep us connected (and laughing).



We doodle and play hangman, too. I always win.



I frequently draw mustaches and glasses over Tim's sink. I'm not very good at it.



I let the mirror get pretty full of graffiti before I wipe it off and we start with a clean canvas again.

I love the fun, funny things Tim leaves for me to see, and there's nothing sweeter than waking up to find a quick, thoughtful note from my guy. Just not on February 14th, please.