Winter Bloom

My stomach is full, I'm smiling, and I am married to the most amazing person in the world. Like a winter rose, Heidi performs with poise and beauty under extreme adverse conditions.

As I finish eating lunch on the edge of my desk, my laptop pushed back and papers strewn about, I have a moment to think about Heidi.

Yesterday, after she had already been up since 5:00 a.m., and after she had probably only slept a few interrupted hours (on account of Porter), I rolled over at 8:00 a.m. to see three happy kids coming to jump and wake me up. Three happy kids at 8:00 a.m. is not an accident.

On my way to work, packed lunch next to me, Heidi calls. Using motherly intuition which has been beefed up with a nursing degree, Heidi explains that Kayla has a UTI which needs prescription medication soon. Asking if I can help, she declines and encourages me to work.

I arrived at the office and worked till 5:00 p.m., then I left for a meeting which went late.

When I arrived home around 7:00 p.m., Heidi had me turn away as she prepared a special dinner. I sat at the dinner table with my back to Heidi as she prepares dinner and tells me about her day:

She went to the doctor to get Kayla's UTI checked out.

Simple enough, right?

Nope. She had to feed clean and dress a three-year-old, two-year-old and 2-month-old; pack them in the car; drive 25 minutes; unpack them and put them in a stroller; maneuver 3 squirmy tired-of-sitting-in-the-car kids into the hospital; check in; wait; go into the examination room; talk to the doctor; take all three kids to the bathroom three times while keeping cool and convincing Kayla that Jesus and Heavenly Father aren't mad if doctors take our potty in a cup; help Kayla retrieve a sample for the lab; and then everything else in reverse back to home. Not so easy if you ask me.

Anyway, so Heidi explains her day to me while I wait for this special dinner with my back toward her. I can't look of course, it's Heidi's traditional Valentines surprise recipe dinner after all! Every valentines for the past three years, Heidi has cooked amazing new recipes which quickly enter our rotation of meals.

Heidi instructed me to leave upstairs while she finished preparations. I put on my pajamas and enjoyed a little play time with the kids. When we were called down, we entered a candle-lit room with nice music. We sat down in the three available chairs. No fourth chair for this amazing server. She asks, with a smirk, what our orders will be.

"A nice hot main course, with a possible appetizer served with or before or in the main dish, and a special drink if available." was my reply.

Heidi then proceeds to serve, course by course, one of the most amazing meals I've had in a long time: The drink was a fruit punch-sherbet-sprite-strawberry-ish pleasure; The appetizers were chocolate covered strawberries and Bruschetta; The main course was Lomo Saltado, one of my favorite Peruvian dishes full of meat, french-fries, rice, and tomatoes all mixed together - mmm.. makes my mouth water; The side-dish was Ensalada Rusa (Russian Salad), a Peruvian and Argentinian favorite which makes eating red beats a sought-after-blessing instead of a duty; Then she finished the meal with home-made-from-scratch carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Wow! It's one of those meals where the pain from an overly-stuffed stomach can't wipe away the smile on your face. Delicious.

Back to my amazing wife - she finally pulled up a chair to eat when I was 3/4 done with my meal. Just as she starts to eat, Porter begins to cry. He's hungry. Heidi feeds him while she eats.

To keep this story from getting longer - after cooking 5 amazing, new, never-before-tried, delcious and complicated recipes, and after taking three three-and-under kids to the doctor, Heidi still smiled and kissed me good night.

She's amazing! What else is there to say?