So this is love?

Last week, Eric and I went on yet another "date" to Target. (After nearly 19 years of marriage, we recognize that sometimes the best date is the one that will accomplish whatever is screaming for attention at the top of the to-do list.) One of the things we were picking up was valentines for Daniel to give out in his class, and, as we walked the isles filled with pink cards and red chocolate boxes, I saw a glimmer of a thought come into Eric's eyes.

Then he turned to me and said, "So... do you want me to keep doing the same thing I've been doing for you for Valentine's Day?"

"Ummm...  You mean nothing?"

"Yeah. That."

"Sure."

That was it. Plus a little chuckle at the end of the exchange. No facades. No hurt feelings. No expectations for gifts or grand gestures. And I'm very happy with the way we do things. He has never made a big deal out of holidays, but don't be fooled into thinking less of him for it. Have I ever mentioned that he does the dishes pretty much every day? Or that he gets up between 4:30 and 5am every morning so that he will be home before dinner to spend time with the kids? Or that he packs a lunch every day to save money? And never complains about his commute?

Yes. This is love.

Barf-vergnugen

Recent vomiting at our house led me to some fond reminiscing...

First, I should say--I HATE to clean up barf. The smell of it alone can cause me to gag and nearly barf myself. But there was so much of it that I couldn't, in good conscience, leave Eric to deal with it solo. So, as I cleaned, I needed a place for my mind to wander so that I wouldn't end up barfing on top of the barf.

I thought about the time when my brother and I told our German-speaking friend all the different phrases we use for "vomit" in the American-English language. Our friend, who is an Austrian, teaches high school English near Linz, Austria, and he couldn't wait to go back and tell his students all about this. He was in awe of our wide array of these descriptive phrases. Here are the ones I can remember:

VOMIT
BARF
UP-CHUCK
RALPH
TOSS YOUR COOKIES
LOSE YOUR LUNCH
HEAVE
BLOW YOUR GROCERIES
BLOW CHUNKS (this was one of our favorites - so visually inspiring)
WRETCH
HURL

What a fascinating language! Got any more to add?