VALENTINE'S DAY

Valentine's Day this year seemed to slip past almost unnoticed for us. I had grand plans for adding to our winter decor but it never really materialised as I'd wished. I did spend some time learning how to crochet hearts and I strung together some heart bunting, but it only went across the sideboard and it didn't go much beyond that!

The above picture shows you some of the bunting and also the little paper hearts that were cut out rather hastily to add to the decor. Our cards this year were colour matching which makes me rather happy. I know red is the traditional colour and therefore it shouldn't be that surprising but red doesn't always feature in the Woodruff cards. We are rather unconventional. 

We didn't really celebrate the day too much other than the giving of some gifts and a nice home cooked meal at the end of the day, which we took zero photos of (probably because we were too engrossed in watching The Bodyguard!)

Andrew's main present involved an amazing books called 'Maddie on Things'. This guy and his dog, Maddie, took some truly amazing photos, posed in different places and created a photobook all about it. It's incredible how patient this dog is and how they manage to take such incredible shots. Not sure Macintosh would be up for that.

My present from Andrew was this amazing clutch bag that I absolutely loved when I saw it in the mall a while back. It was a lovely surprise to have him buy it for me and I am literally desperate for an occasion to use it now. 

So there we go, our mini not too exciting Valentine's Day. We hope yours was just as lovely and check back soon for a post on how we made the most of President's Day. 
H

LETTERS AND PRESENTS

This last week has truly been a week of letters and presents; its been great recieveing news from friends and family. It was also super exciting recieving a box of presents from Hannah, which also had a load of letters from the Rock Solid Youth Group and the leaders. Wow! I better get writing back I think!!

Had a great Valentines Day too with opening presents and a long chat to Hannah on Facetime. I especially like the book she got me about Sir Alan Cobham's  flyingboat adventures toAfrica  and the funky dog desk tidy. It's a good substitute dog as I am missing Mac lots too.

Here is some evidence from the week of letters.

A

VALENTINE'S DAY

5 years ago today I said yes!! 

It was the first valentine's day we had spent together in the 7 years we had been together. There may have been one early one but that was all. He was about to go to Afghanistan for 2 - 3 months. We barely saw each other due to his RAF shifts and my teaching degree. I think we spend about one weekend every 5 together. It was a hard existence when everyone around had their other half on their doorstep but we survived.

Then he came to visit for the valentines weekend and said he was taking me out early that day to someone special. Now I had just come off teaching practice the day before and was shattered so the idea of getting up at 5am was not very amusing. I consequently moaned all the way to our destination! When we got there I realised it was the Peak District and we were going to have to climb in the cold before it was even light so I began to get a little more excited but still moaning at the early time!

That moaning stopped the moment he got down on one knee....

He apparently had some great speech to say and had spent half the night agonising over it still but when it came to it what he said was perfect. I naturally said yes....not 'ok I guess so' like I did when he first asked me out but actually yes! 

It was about 7:30am at this point so everyone we wanted to call got a VERY early wake up, apart from my sister Becks who was on a shift at the hospital and I interrupted her rounds to announce it causing her to scream and panic a few people! 

And now comes the soppy part. At that point in my life I didn't think it could get any better. But then I got married and our wedding day was amazing. It really was everything we had dreamed about and planned for. Yet still that wasn't the highlight because for me being married and living our day to day life is the highlight and it only gets better with time.

Of course I would forgive some of you for thinking we must have the perfect marriage for it to be the highlight, but really we don't. At times its easy and good and we love it. Other times its hard, there are tough points, difficulties to live with and times when we really don't act like a married couple! But those are the parts I love as much as the good times. Why? Well because that's teaching us to grow as a couple. It's exposing our sin and it's where God helps us to grow and develop. See marriage isn't about what you get out of it. It's supposed to be a picture of God's love for us. He loves us like a husband loves a wife and so our marriages should be that loving and self-sacrificial. Marriage is where we get to love and serve the other person, not ourselves.

That's hard. It always has been but that's what we are seeking to do. We haven't managed it but we are growing to do that and will spend the rest of our lives together doing that. Thankfully we don't do it alone, God is always encouraging and giving us the strength to do it. We can't do it alone.

So Andrew, although we are far apart on valentines day I love you. I said yes five years ago and three and a half years ago I made that a public promise. Today its still the same; I will love you with all my heart as long as I'm here on this earth, no matter what happens.

H