Right now as I sit on the couch and scan my living room I see a basket of clothes that needs to be folded. A basket of clothes waiting to be put away. A stack of pillows on a chair. My gym back, yoga mat and picnic blanket on another chair. And the floor is scattered with various toys, baby dolls, a half-played game of Candy Land and some suit cases.

But instead of milling about picking up the clutter here I sit.

Listening to a sound that I have missed so much.

The whole house is quiet but for this one noise.

His voice. Reading our little girl a story before nap.

Oh how I have missed that voice.

I’m not going to lie, I have relished in the quiet during his absence. There’s times I like nothing more than to sit in silence. These last 12 days, after the Monster was in bed, there was plenty of silence to be had.

However, if I had to choose silence or the sound of his strong, reassuring, comforting voice there would be no contest as to which I would choose.

Going on ten years together we have never been apart for that long. I know the actual saying is “Distance make the heart grow fonder” and I would agree with that statement up to about day 5. After that point it’s crazy.

All day yesterday while I counted down the seconds minutes hours until I got to pick him up from the airport I was like a giddy teenager. My stomach had butterflies. My heart pounded.  I couldn’t stop smiling. See? Crazy.

I swear I love that man more now than I did 10 years ago. Watching him with our daughter. Seeing his face light up when he got to drive his Cruiser for the first time in 4 years. The calmness that is about him just because it’s Summer.

My heart? It overflows. It gushes. It causes me to write mushy “I just threw up in my mouth” type posts.

But you guys? I missed that voice.

But I really just don’t care about it.

Don’t get me wrong, growing up it was awesome. I have great memories of carefully writing out my classmates’ names on cards, making a Valentine’s mailbox or pouch for my desk and then the super awesome Valentine’s party my class would have. My mom would make dinner and set the table and the lights in the dining room would be off and there’d be a special little treat in our seat. However, I do remember the year I had a boyfriend break up with me the day before Valentine’s day…and the day before the dance. That was less than awesome, but whatevs, I got over it. Overall, like I said, Valentine’s Day was always pretty awesome.

But really, anymore? Eh…not that big of a deal to me.

In honor of Valentine’s Day I’ve noticed a lot of other bloggers writing all these mushy posts about how much them love their spouse/significant other, blah, blah, blah. Not gonna lie…I kind of threw up a little bit in my mouth.

I figured I’d write my own kind of post…but not how much I love Andy, or how great he is, or how I fall in love with him all over again…blech…how about the opposite. How about a post about all the things we “LOVE” about each other.

• I LOVE that he puts more ranch dressing and cheese on your salad that there is lettuce.
• I LOVE that he almost always forgets to flush the toilet after you get out of the shower then when I get home from work 10 hours later there’s still pee in the toilet.
• I LOVE  the weird throat-clearing-thingy he does when he’s trying to make a point.
• I LOVE that he’s always hot and feels the need to have a fan blasting on us every night for bed.
• I LOVE when he trims his beard/shave his face a bunch of the trimmed hair is left in the sink.
• I LOVE that he still think it’s hilarious when I unknowingly walk into a room after he’s let out a stinky fart.
• Speaking of farts…I LOVE that he taught our daughter “pull my finger”.

Oh, and don’t worry, I know this LOVE is a two way street…here’s a list of things I know Andy LOVES about me!

• I know Andy LOVES how I have the knack for leaving random strands of hair all over the house.
• He LOVES that after I spend all day at work sitting with my face staring at a computer I can do the same thing after Ry goes to bed until I go to bed.
• He LOVES that I sleep with with a sheet, wool blanket, quilt and another blanket on top because I’m always cold.
• He LOVES that I can’t remember simple things like calling to make a vet appointment for the dog but I can remember what I was wearing the day of our first kiss.
• He LOVES that every single time he comes inside after I have been playing outside with Rylee I say “Sorry I didn’t pick up the toys out of the yard, it was time for Ry to get in the house and she was not having it.”
• And I know he LOVES that I taught Rylee how to pick her nose.

Keep in mind this is all in fun. I really do love my husband. But really…every spouse does things that drives the other crazy.