Flowers, Just Because

When Mike and I met back in the fall of 1996, one of the first things I noticed and immediately loved about him was his thoughtful nature.  He is one of those guys that makes homemade cards and puts a lot of effort and creativity into gifts that he gives.  I remember the first flowers her ever gave me.  At the time I was a sophomore in college and living in a small basement room in one of the girls' dorms.  Mike was a junior, also living on campus in the one men's dorm.  He called me in my room one night to say he was in the lobby of my dorm.  I headed upstairs excited to see him.  And there he was holding a simple arrangement of red and yellow carnations in a vintage 7up bottle.  We were poor college students, so carnations fit the budget, but they were bright and cheerful, and would instantly brighten up my dorm room.  Mike also knew that I had a small collection of old soda bottles (they were something I always looked at when we went to antique stores).  He picked it out knowing that I would appreciate this "vase" more than a traditional vase. I loved it.  I remember I went down to my dorm room later and had my roommate take a picture of me holding my first flowers.

Tonight as Mike came in the door from a long day of work, he had in his hands three bouquets of flowers.  One for Hannah.  One for Leah.  And one for me. He said they were "just because".  Today isn't our anniversary or a birthday or any special reason to celebrate.  It's just an average Wednesday.  But somehow he always manages to take something ordinary and turn it into something special.

My flowers

Hannah and Leah's bright bouquets together in one vase