Distance...

When Scott and I were dating, we spent a summer apart.

I was working as an intern in New York City at Sotheby's auction house, and Scott was interning in Seattle for a financial company and valeting by night for a fancy schmancy steak house. It was all so Sleepless in Seattle, right?

I spent my lunch breaks eating a chicken salad sandwich from the deli on York Avenue and sitting in a small phone booth in the basement of Sotheby's talking to Scott, who would just be starting his day in Seattle. His night job and the time difference made it impossible for us to talk at night, so I lived for those afternoon lunch 'chats'. I think I fell in love with him even more in that little phone booth and I still think of him when I eat chicken salad.

Distance is a wise teacher, it grew our relationship in ways we couldn't have on our own....

Now that little ones have come along, we have spent Valentine's Day apart. Valentine's Day always falls over the Snow Family annual ski weekend and I have learned over the years, that skiing is like breath to my husband. He is happier when he has it. And though we aren't together for the official 'day of love', there is something about that distance that gives me a chance to reflect on all the reasons why I fell in love with him, and it makes my Valentine weekend that much sweeter. (The massage gift certificate and flowers he leaves behind doesn't hurt either, I won't lie. Beats a chicken salad sandwich in a phone booth.)

So this Valentine's Day distance has made my heart grow fonder and perhaps a bit sappy... so here are 10 reasons why I LOVE my man:

1. I love seeing him as a Father- nothing gets me quite like watching him carry one of our boys on his shoulders or wrestling them all on the floor...

2. I love how he is EXACT in all things- whether it's never missing his 6 a.m. morning workouts, the way his side of the closet is organized, the way he mows the lawn or the gorgeous way he skiis down a mountain... he is precise. (OCD never looked so good.)

3. I love the way he clicks his teeth as he falls asleep

4. I love that he voluntarily folds multiple baskets of laundry while watching ESPN so he feels like he's 'doing something'.

5. I love that he is a master chef and my children ask Daddy to make them most meals when he is home! (Remember the exactness thing? Ya, his pancakes don't burn like mine.)

6. I love that he eats at Qdoba once a week with me and doesn't complain because he knows i'm an addict

7. I love that he is a morning person

8. I love that he still sends me flowers and hasn't forgotten the magic of the 'little blue box'

9. I love that my voice can put him to sleep.... this is both good and bad.

10. I love that he is still the ONE.

Happy Valentines' Day to all....