Three Year Dating Anniversary/ Valentine's Day

Three years seems like a long time. Realizing that we were (nearly) 23 when we went on our first date on February 14, 2010 and now we're about to turn 26 seems unreal. It has honestly been the best three years! I'm so thankful that my first-ever Valentine is my one and only Valentine :-) I remember rolling my eyes when my mom would say that all the waiting wouldn't seem like any time at all once the right one came along. She was right.

This Three Year Dating Anniversary/Valentine celebration was lots of fun! I think Austin and I starting to get the hang of this! I realize that many people think that Valentine's Day is a commercial exploitation based very loosely on a semi-historical figure and I understand that opinion, but I am coming to the point in my life where I embrace the fact that I am cliche and a romantic. Valentine's Day includes both of those things, so I like it. To me, it is a happy coincidence that the anniversary of our first date falls on February 14th, because the whole point of Valentine's Day is to celebrate the blessing of love with the person you love!

Austin surprised me in the morning with a bouquet of beautiful red roses, a precious card, and a box of chocolates, which I loved looking at for the remainder of the day! Also, because it was Thursday, Beth Wilson baked scones for Barefoot's Joe, which made the morning even better! I felt the need to include it in the picture!

At lunch, Austin took me to Olive Garden, where we enjoyed the Soup, Salad and Bread sticks lunch special. Both economical and delicious!

When I came home that evening, Austin had cleaned up the entire downstairs and had the Big Band Pandora Station (my favorite!) playing on his phone. He even had on his hounds tooth blazer. I felt like we were transported back in time! So, of course, I put on my lovely apron made by my sister in law and began pulling out ingredients for dinner! We began doing this only to realize that Austin had put the chicken breasts in the freezer instead of the refrigerator, so our dinner preparations were temporarily postponed until they thawed out! Oops! I will check on that next time! 

Our menu included: Pan Seared Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Cream and Mushroom Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli and Sparkling Apple Cider.

It was so much better than a restaurant! Here is what our table looked like before we sat down to eat. It was so fun to pull out the china, nice flatware, tablecloth and candles! 

It's fun to think back to our first date in Paducah three years ago. We were so giddy/nervous/excited/awkward, yet we were at ease with each other and knew that God had a plan for us. We celebrate what He has accomplished in and through us since that time!

Throwback picture! Taken on February 21, 2010! Our first picture together as an "official" couple!