My Valentine Bike

I'm typically not one to get too excited over Valentine's Day. My husband and I have never really done anything special for it; after all, we're usually still paying for Christmas during this time and our anniversary is just a month away. So Valentine's Day usually comes and goes with a few hastily bought cards and a modest-size box of chocolates.

This year was a pleasant surprise and completely unexpected. Sometime last year, a certain bike caught my eye at our local Walmart. A bike that we didn't have the money for and was certainly not needed. It's not like we ride bikes a lot, but on occasion we head to the beach with a bike rack or just pick a path somewhere close to the house.

As it happened, my husband had the day off. After mysteriously disappearing for an hour or so with the boys yesterday, I was called into the living room last night. My girl said, I bet he got you that pink bike. I shrugged her off saying, That pink bike is long forgotten; besides, you know we don't really get each other stuff. So I can honestly say I was completely caught off guard.

This morning after dropping the kids off at school, we loaded up the bikes and went for a ride. I couldn't stop smiling when he told me to take it for a test drive and checked to see if the seat was all right. He couldn't stop smiling when he said the only thing missing was streamers. I have a feeling that by the time we do make it the beach, I will definitely have pink and white streamers.

The morning was beautiful and the company was even better. We took every bench we saw along the way as an opportunity to sit and talk and think. We looked on the bright side of the place in which we now live instead of looking sadly at all we left behind. We said hello to people young and old we passed along the way and wondered what the future would bring.

He laughed when I took pictures while trying to pedal, but was quick to point out this perfect shot along the way. We sat very still for a while here. It's amazing what all you can see and hear of the world when you take the time to shut the world out (if that makes any sense). It's amazing how quickly you can forget when times are bad how special the person is sitting next you.

I'm so thankful he thought I was worth the time to remind to me that life really is what we make of it. It doesn't always have to revolve around what's-for-dinner and homework and chauffeuring kids around. Sometimes it just needs to revolve around the two people that started it all. Two people and one pink bike. We just might have started a new tradition.