Tsewed

Gasp! What is this? TWO posts in one week??

Why, yes. It is.

"Tsewed," in case you are wondering, is the three-year-old pronounciation of Jered.

As the day of St. Valentine, in regard to which I compulsively alternate between moods of absolute annoyance and something a little more positive than tolerance, draws ever nearer, I've been led to even more frequent thoughts about my favorite person. When it comes to him, I experience not tolerance, but joy and blessing.

Warning: this will be a sappy, sentimental post. Continue at your own risk.

So, as the said "holiday" approaches, I have been remembering some of the sweetest moments from the two and a half years we've been together. Now I'm going to share them with anyone who feels like sharing the smile that's on my face right now.

Only two weeks after we met, Jered agreed to be my date to a wedding and meet most of my family and a bunch of strangers. Bravery... check!

I found several sweet notes and flowers on my pillow and notes on the windshield of my car.

After a night out with the girls, I came to my room to find all of my favorite candies, the most adorable note, and my ipod was set to play the words "you're beautiful" when I pushed play.

He would go completely out of his way to walk me to class.

For our first Christmas together, he went all out. He took me to see Grease in Chicago. He gave me a giftcard to my favorite store. But both of these still pale in comparison to my music box. He built me a music/jewelry box that was absolutely beautiful and perfect, complete with engravings. I cried... surprise surprise.
On our first Valentine's Day, he sent me out on a scavenger hunt. I was initially upset because he made me go all the way to the beach by myself, with nothing but a rhyme as my clue. Each clue led me to a different significant spot, where some of my favorite candy was waiting with yet another clue. I was eventually led back to my room, where a candle-lit dinner of chicken noodle soup and sparkling grape juice was waiting. He also wrote me the most adorable poem, and had a single rose for our first Valentine's Day as a couple.

While I went on our school's band tour for spring break, he wrote me a note for each day so that I had a bundle of letters to read when I got back. When I returned to TIU, he was waiting outside the school to meet me and take me on a walk.

Over Easter break, when he went to the Gorge with the guys, he kept a video journal, so that I had something from him for every day that he was gone. Then he surprised me by coming to my house before he went home.

For my birthday, he took me out on a perfect, day-long date.

On our one-year anniversary, he sneakily surprised me with a pair of boots I really wanted, even though we agreed on not giving gifts.

When I was horribly sick with the flu, he visited me and brought me whatever I wanted, held me, and prayed for me.

He came to all of my band concerts.

On our second Valentine's Day, I came home from a looong day of band, to some art books, and two roses on my pillow. Neither of these were as surprising as the haircut he walked in with a few minutes later. (I think my roommate was almost more surprised than I was!)

He spent hours talking with me and my roommates because I wanted him to be present just for homework and studying purposes... which usually turned into girly talk time.

Because I asked him, he gave up going to a friend's wedding to be at my college graduation.

After three weeks of zero contact, he came with my mom and sister to surprise me at the airport when I came home from Ukraine.
Instead of going home for Labor Day weekend, he helped build a deck for my grandparents and spent the weekend with me and my family.
He gave up being with his family to be with me for New Year's Eve... even though we only went out to eat, came home, and watched a movie, during which I slept most of the time...

This weekend, he surprised me by showing up in Old Navy. He took me on a wonderful date, and then spent the rest of the weekend with me. He even gave up watching the super bowl with the guys, who actually like football... or football where Jered isn't playing...

I would go on, but I think you probably get the picture. My Jered is awfully sweet, and is naturally my favorite. So when it comes to Valentine's Day... well, it's ok I guess, but when I have a guy like this, why would I want to only remember these things once a year? I'd rather spend every day remembering the sacrifices, grand gestures, surprises, and fun times from my best friend.