My Valentine's Day Present

On Thursday when he came home from school, Dan told me he'd gotten me a Valentine's Day gift but that it would be showing up in a few days. I said "You didn't have to do that!" since all I did was cook him a dinner that it took him hours to eat because he was still feeling sick from the food poisoning. (Turkey-instead-of-beef stroganoff from scratch, with veggies and bread).

On Saturday night, my mom flew in for a whirlwind visit. She came out to attend the shower Dan's aunt threw for me on Sunday. I was a little apprehensive about the situation, since a) I'm not especially comfortable being the center of attention, and b) my friends who were invited couldn't make it. Dan told me "I guarantee you will have a good time at the shower, and if I don't you can brand an Oakland Raiders logo on my butt." (I told him, "Why would I want to do that? Then I'd have to look at an Oakland Raiders logo on your butt for the rest of our lives.") My mom brought some beads along with her that I'll be using for yet another wedding project, and we had a nice evening chatting.

So on Sunday it was me, my mom and Dan's female relatives. His aunt went all out and had a lovely tea party complete with little tea sandwiches and cream puffs, beautiful decor and some interesting games (guess the spice!). About twenty minutes into the shower, the doorbell rang. In walked Oldest Friend.

!!!!!!!

Dan had arranged for her to fly out to attend the shower (she'd told me weeks before she wouldn't be able to come). Luckily she has other friends who live in the area so she stayed with them on Saturday night, then they drove her to the shower on Sunday and she stayed with us and my mom Sunday night (then Dan drove them to the airport at the buttcrack of dawn on Monday morning). I was sooooo happy to see her! I hadn't seen her since I attended a wedding in San Diego in September of 06. And she seemed to have a good time, and was especially happy to be part of such a great surprise for me. Dan likes to surprise me, and it had been a year since he pulled the last one off. I wonder what I'll get for Valentine's Day next year.