Je t'adore

When hubby and I began passing the “LIKE, LIKE" stage and entered the "LOVE YOU" stage, he taught me a French phrase for "I love you." Mostly because we were both too chicken to say the actual words.

Je t'adore.

He told me the way to remember it was to think of  "shut the door". From that time on "shut the door" was our sneaky, and rather sappy, way of expressing our feelings. Even after we got the English phrase down, "je t'adore" became our little inside joke.

In the midst of all our friends, we would remind each other to "shut the door" on the way out. We thought we were so cool – nobody knew (or probably cared) what we were saying.

Now, over two decades later, we can express our love without sneaky codes. And even though verbal expressions of love are common, hubby will take time to show me in other ways how much he loves me.

While balancing the world on his shoulders, he will still come home from work and start a load of laundry so I don't have to strain my back. He helps with the kids and other house work. He tells the boys to marry someone like me and they will be happy for the rest of their life. Valentine’s Day isn't the only day he sends me gorgeous flowers and he lets me be who I really am – without passing judgment.

But there is one way he tells me he loves me that always ALWAYS brings a smile to my face. Partly because it reminds me of our “twitterpated” years and mostly because I realize he still loves me.

When he knows I haven’t had a lot of sleep or even if he is just feeling extra kind – and even if he is extra tired himself – he will quietly get up with the kids in the morning so I can keep sleeping. And the part that makes me smile most is when, on his way out of the bedroom,  he softly and sweetly shuts the door.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!! May you spend your days with that someone who will always “shut your door.”