My Lucky Wife

Last week was Valentine’s Day. I am sure it was a day secretly started by the flower, candy and card cartels to push more of their products. Sure, it is a great time to prove your love and I guess that is a good thing. As you can tell Jennifer must be the luckiest woman in the world to be married to such a romantic like me. However, after sharing notes with many of my peer’s I am sure that I am in the majority especially among fellow farmers and ranchers.

Being the unrepentant romantic that I am I had the perfect Valentine’s Day planned for Jennifer. The alarm clock rang at 5:30 am. One wouldn’t want to sleep too late on this special day and miss anything. The very first thing I did was look deep into Jennifer’s eyes and I said; “Happy Valentine’s Day, we better get up and check the ewes and feed bottle lambs.”

This just proves what a romantic sap I am. After all, what is cuter and more romantic that a little lamb and Jennifer is so lucky, she has seven of them. Seven fuzzy little faces eagerly awaiting her and so excited to see her. How could the day start off any better?

Well it did, we found a new set of twins. Wow, first lambs born on her birthday and now lambs born on Valentine’ Day. No need for gifts, how could you top newborn lambs. Especially when you get to snuggle with them while carrying them into the lambing barn. It was barely 6:00 and already so much packed into the day.

Back in the house I made breakfast just for my Valentine. Sure, it was yogurt with granola and she ate it while getting ready to go to work but it is the thought that counts. More than once she mentioned just how lucky she was to have such a great husband who pampers and takes such good care of her. What makes it even better is that she likes to tease me and make her compliments sound sarcastic but I know what she really means. I am more sensitive than most and pick up on subtle hints like silence when she is so moved that she cannot find the words to express her joy.

During the day, I sent Jennifer little reminders to let her know I was thinking of her. Things like; don’t forget to pick up paper towels or did you see 508’s lamb nurse and I wish you were here to help feed all these cute little bottle lambs. Sure, they were everyday thoughts but I like to make sure she knows she is never out of my mind. Of course, later that afternoon I texted to see when she would be home. It may have been under the pretense that I wanted help with chores but I am sure she knew it was because I missed her so much.

I know many of you are thinking how could this night get any more romantic or any better. Just hang on a second because the best is yet to come. I took her out to a fine dining establishment, one that would add a little spice to the night, Buffalo Wild Wings. We were seated us at a table for two right next to the bar and beside the window with a view of the street. It was an intimate setting with forty or fifty other people enjoying romantic dinners. The best part was that Jennifer used the gift certificate she had. Romantic and cheap, she sure knows the way to my heart. Next was a quick trip to Dillons where I bought her not one, but two boxes of candy. Who knew if you waited until Valentine Day night you could get two for the price of one.

Finally, when we got back home we went on a moonlit walk, just the two of us down to the barn. She started the day off feeding cute little lambs and finished the day feeding the same, cute little lambs. Over and over, she mentioned just how lucky she was to have such a great husband in that same endearing, fake sarcasm. Exhausted by a day full of tokens of my affection and pampering Jennifer fell asleep almost instantly. Just before she drifted off she mentioned that she was glad Valentine’s Day was once a year.

OK, before I get hate mail from my female readers, I should also disclose that I arranged to have a singing valentine delivered with a rose, candy and a card. I do have my moments, they are by far too few. Like nearly every other farm or ranch wife Jennifer deserves so much more for all she does, all she goes without and more importantly all she puts up with. She is a saint and I am one lucky guy.