Oh the love!!!!!!

I haven't had the best track record with Valentine's Day. I'm not one of those people who hate the holiday or think it's totally commercial and therefore unwarranted. I do agree that it's a very commercial holiday but how great is it that we have at least one day a year where we go out of our way to tell just about everyone in our lives how much we love them?

I think that's fantastic.

Being the love addict that I am (yes, I'll admit it) I have dreamt of flowers and boxes of chocolates, jewelry and grand gestures since I was a little girl. The true Valentine curse didn't strike me however until...Justin Hill!! Sophomore year, Timpview High School, I met a boy and I was never quite the same. He was of course WAY out of my league as I was nothing more than a chubby swim team nerd and he was smoking hot and played the drums in the band and had long hair. To add to his mystery he had transferred from Provo High and of course all the popular kids accepted him into their ranks.

Justin Hill, you could never just call him Justin, somehow ended up in my Math class. This is strange to me now as I was never that bright at math and he was a year ahead of me. Once Justin Hill joined my math class my grades dropped significantly as I spend my hour day dreaming and drooling over the Adonis that graced our presence. I spent countless hours writing his name and writing mine and drawing little hearts around them. Needless to say I had my first significant crush.

As February approached I began to make plans for the big love day. I was going to confess my love and I was certain that he would share my feelings and we would be together forever. Looking back I'm certain that I must have known that I was heading for heartache but I guess at that age you just have to hope. The night before the big day I drove to the store and bought several balloons, candy and a card and drove to the Hill home. I tied the balloons to his mailbox and stuck the treat inside with the card and made a hurried escape. I could barely sleep as I waited with anticipation of what would happen the next day in class.

Well...Nothing happened. Well, nothing good happened. Justin did his best to ignore me and I was certain that as soon as I walked away he was laughing and making fun of me. Needless to say I was heart broken and humiliated. I spent the next three months avoiding him and licking my wounds. Thank goodness my parents decided to move us to Albuquerque that summer and I never had to see him again.

The Justin Hill incident set a precedence for many Valentine's Days to come. It has only been in recent years that I have experienced that feeling of chocolates, flowers and such.

Today was an exceptionally good day. I feel loved and spoiled by my boyfriend, sisters (we decided to be each other's Valentine's) and my amazing students. I am truly blessed and have officially broken the curse of St. Valentine!