Don’t take anything for granted

It's Valentines day today and I walked into our kitchen this morning to find a beautiful bunch of flowers, a card, some chocolates, fizz and candles waiting for me.

It is our tenth Valentines day together and other than one year (which he spent in hospital), my husband has put in the effort and made me feel special.

He doesn't have to, we agreed not to go out for dinner and not to buy presents but he always buys flowers and chocolates and I really love that he does.

For many years I was alone. I brought up my two boys on my own and actively avoided the notion of Valentines day.

On this day, 13 years ago, I sat in the club house bar at Abbeydale Sports Club looking at a sign advertising a six nations England v Italy match and a pie and pea supper! (A special treat for those lucky enough to be spending the day on the sidelines of a pitch).

I remember wishing I had been lucky enough to have met the right man, who might have given me roses and taken the boys to play sport while I had some time to pamper myself - but I hadn't so that was that.

It is because I spent so long alone (or in club sports bars!) that I appreciate the lovely gesture my (now) husband makes all the more.

The time, thought and effort that goes into these lovely Valentines day surprises is all the more special because he is the kind of man who stresses about selecting a distant cousins birthday card and I know that he will have put a lot of care and attention into getting it just right.

That's why I wont say that it doesn't really matter, that we've been together long enough now not to bother - sometimes we need little gestures to remind us how lucky we really are.

I am indeed lucky and I don't take him or anything he does for granted.