Simple. Tristan. German. Reef. Robot. Love.

Romance: displaying, expressive of, or conducive to love

Romantic: my husband

I woke up at 4:30 in the morning on my birthday. I couldn't sleep because I was so excited.

What, am I 10 years old or something?

One of Daniel's favorite things is surprising me, and I knew he'd been up to something!

Daniel left for work at 7, and I had been laying there (so exhausted, but unable to sleep and feeling ridiculous because of that), so when he left I got up and made my way to the kitchen for some oatmeal and bananas (my new favorite.)

On the couch was a copy of Real Simple magazine, and a note saying I'd be getting a copy every month!

If you do not know what Real Simple is, please jump in the car, go to Wal-Mart or something and get a copy...it's' amazing.

I had mentioned in passing to Daniel that I love that magazine and if I was going to subscribe to one, that would be it.

Afterwards, I do Pilates. I write in my journal. I play guitar. I talk to Jesus...extremely relaxing, wonderful, peaceful morning.

I meet Daniel at camp, and we go up to the kitchen to say "hey" to some staff who's arrived already...

While in the kitchen I am bombarded with a song, a "happy birthday" wand, a hat box full of chocolate (everyone knew it was our last day of sugar), and a homemade 4-layer German chocolate cake, made by our resident Culinary Arts major Kelli...she makes amazing everything, and cake is no exception. They're even really really pretty. She needs to open a bakery or something. And she's 18.

I am thrilled!!! And also there is a fabulous Starbucks mug (all my fingers fit in the handle, which is key in a mug) from dear Lori and Andrew.

As you can probably guess, I am soaking all of this up.

When we get to the car, I find a gift in my seat--a new CD I had mentioned in passing to Daniel that I was really excited about getting when it came out.

This is time number 2 Daniel has been really perceptive and given me gifts he knows I've been wanting. Amazing.

We drive into San Jose and stop at a cafe for lunch. We take the cake and chocolate with us (you know we're pigging out all day on chocolate), and we eat cake for lunch. Sooooooo good.

Daniel hands me another gift, and when I open the piece of cloth in the box, he takes it and puts it over my eyes. I am blindfolded!

He leads me to the car (a very funny spectacle) and we drive...

Time out: when my parents were here last month, I had mentioned to them and Daniel in passing that all I really wanted to do before camp was stay in a hotel and watch tv.

Can you guess where we're driving to?

I don't know we're at a hotel until we reach the carpet on the 2nd floor...then Daniel takes me to our amazing room with a huge bed and bathtub and all this good stuff. Amazing!!

Time number 3 Daniel has really been paying attention to me.

He hands me a gift. It is 2 seasons of a cartoon we watched every single day on our honeymoon. A ridiculous, and ridiculously hilarious cartoon. He has brought a dvd player so we can watch it!

Time number 4.

The rest of the day is ours. Of course I want to shop. We're in San Jose! So, we shop. I get running shoes, and reefs, and some comfy summer dresses.

Aren't they cute?

We grab dinner to go at Cheesecake Factory, along with Chris's Outrageous Chocolate Cake. (chocolate, coconut, cheesecake..mmmmm)

This is what was left of Chris. We ate the rest later.

We spent the rest of the evening sitting in our king size bed watching Robot Chicken and pigging out on chocolate.

It was the most amazing birthday. I always knew Daniel paid attention to me, but he showed me in new ways this weekend how he really pays attention to me, my personality, my wants, my needs....and all the things he did for me were things I mentioned in PASSING. Details!

That is why my husband is romantic. He pays attention to me. Simple as that.

So when I woke up today, I was thankful for my amazing husband, I felt a tiny bit older,

and I feel ready to begin our year of no dessert...all that chocolate and cake yesterday kind of made me sick :)