Valentine Tales

Although husband-dear and I, practical beings that we are, celebrated Valentine's Day this weekend with a romantic dinner, candlelight, and some dancing, we couldn't let today go by unnoticed. So I spent a good five minutes last night using a dry erase marker to cover our bathroom mirror in about a hundred "I heart U"'s. When husband-dear came home, he did the manly grinning nod thing to show his approval, and said, "That is so sweet."

Writing "I heart U" (and the "heart" is obviously replaced with a drawing of an actual heart) to each other has somewhat of a history with husband-dear and I. When husband-dear and I had been dating for a while (give or take, oh, nine months), and I was starting to feel like I would be telling him I loved him while he was asleep forever, husband-dear finally overcame his "OMG if I say I love you it's forever and ever and ever" fear.
Well, somewhat.
We were lying around after a morning spent go-carting with the boys, when husband-dear ran his hand across my back. At first he just drew really big circles, and then I felt his hand write "I heart U". I popped my head up, stared at then still boyfriend-dear, and although I wanted to say something, anything (like, oh, I don't know "I love you too"), I was afraid I had somehow misread his hand, and so I kept quiet.

Later that day, I finally mustered up the courage to bring it up, and in my best imitation of a third grader, I said, "You wrote I love you on my back, today"
Husband-dear replied, "No, I wrote I heart you." He grinned.
"You wrote...what?" I made a face and punched him in the arm, "You're such a dork."
He grinned again, "OK, I wrote I love you. " He paused, "I love you."
"Well, I love you." It felt so great to finally say it aloud.

Now, years later, we still write "I heart U" to one another, in our best imitation of two love-struck teenagers. So last night, as husband-dear was admiring my handiwork, I said, "You know, I bet you we are the only married couple who uses that as shorthand."
"Uh-uh" Husband-dear has long learned that sometimes letting me ramble is the safest course of action.

And that's when the Valentine's spirit went kind of Alien-Predator-Star-Wars.

"So, you know, we could use "I heart U" as a code to recognize each other." I added.
"We sure could." husband-dear, I'm pretty sure, was not listening.
"Like, let's say that our country was overrun by body snatchers, and we were worried that one of us might have been taken over by the body snatchers, we could ask the other to write "I love you". If they write "I heart U", they're still them. If they write out "I love you", then they're really a body snatcher."
"Well, "Husband-dear nodded, "You know, if we're ever facing the body snatchers, that sounds like a swell idea. I vote in favor."
"Cool." I continued, "Ooh, I'm going to blog about this."
"You can't do that!" husband-dear protested.
"Why not?"
"Well, let's say that the body snatchers are already here? Then they'd know our secret code." Husband-dear nodded with the grin I swear he reserves especially for me.
"Oh whatever."
"No, really. Don't underestimate the body snatchers."

So, if you're a body snatcher: Go. Away. If you're not: Happy Valentine's Day!