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Thursday, February 14, 2008

Too young too smell this old...

For years I whined about how my husband didn't get me anything for Valentine's Day. He stood firmly on his ground of not feeling any pressure from Hallmark to buy me something. So I would pout and be mean to him and have a dessert with peanut butter in it since he hates PB.



Then his heart softened and he began to realize how much he loved me and how much he hated peanut butter ice cream. So finally he gave in and delivered a bouquet of flowers to me at work. While my co-workers swooned over how sweet he is in front of him and his chest puffed out because he believed them, I took my beautiful flowers and felt I had accomplished the change in him I had longed for.


See my Dad set Gene up for failure. When I was a little girl not so long ago, my Dad would either have waiting for me in the morning a card and usually a flower and candy or he would come home after work with something in hand. Being the only love of my life then he showered me with lots of love on Valentine's Day. Then along came Gene and nothing. No card, no chocolates, no candy, no nothin', just an attitude. So, for me to all of a sudden get flowers, in public mind you, was a huge victory for Lelia.


Then came the year of the perfume gift. A beautiful box, perfectly wrapped by a professional gift wrapper woman I could tell. I opened it up and it looked like a box of candy. So pretty I almost didn't open it. But, I did and boy was I surprised.



Newly conformed Valentine's Day Man watched as I opened his gift. A box of perfume...Forever Elizabeth by Elizabeth Taylor. Gulp. Pretty box, I thought with confusion. "Yumm." is the only approval I could give my Valentine as he watched me smell it. All I could picture was this elderly woman standing next to her friend Michael Jackson and now I was going to smell like her. An 80 year old washed up movie star legend and I was going to smell just like Elizabeth...forever.

What woman in her 30's wouldn't want to smell like that? I could hear my friends...
"Oh Lelia...what are you wearing?"
"Forever Elizabeth by Elizabeth Taylor." I would proudly answer.


I just couldn't imagine saying those words to my girlfriends who wore hip perfumes such as Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabanna, Victoria's Secret...but not one of my girls smelled like Liz. But me. I did. I will because I had trained him for this day. I had cried, begged, pouted and hoped for this day. So I sprayed some on my wrist and told him I loved it.


Then he said something that wasn't even in his training, he just learned it on his own. Words spoken that sounded so much sweeter than the words "Be Mine" that I thought I wanted to hear. As he grabbed for the remote control, he said, "The sales lady told me to get this for you honey. I didn't even smell it, so if you don't like it you can exchange it for something else. I just liked the box."


Of course, my guy liked the box, not the scent of Liz!!! Thank you Lord for watching over me and yet making me feel like the most blessed girl on that Valentine's Day!! I finally had an arrow shot through my heart...a stinky one, but an arrow from my cupid asking me to be his Valentine. Needless to say, I returned it and bought some lovely perfume from Dolce & Gabanna called Light Blue. I smelled beautiful and my guy loved it...more than the box it came in!
One thing I've learned is that this guy loves me and a card that ends up in a drawer or a bouquet of flowers that eventually dies or chocolate that expands my waist will not prove the love he has for me. While I'm not saying that these things aren't nice, I'm saying they don't prove he loves me anymore than he did February 13th. The man is just crazy about me and no stinky perfume can prove that!

Okay, for Valentine's Day I am having a give away!
All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog. If you don't have a blog you click on the anonymous button and leave it that way. I just need your e-mail address so I'll be able to get in touch with the winner.

So here's the give away...
1.) I love this woman's call from God on her life and I daily visit her blog. Lysa TerKeurst. She is a wife, mom, speaker and author and I'm giving away her book, "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God." Please go visit her blog if you haven't already...she's awesome and she too is having a contest.

2.) You have to have "kissable" lips on Valentine's Day just in case you get "Forever Elizabeth" from your man then you will have soft lips to thank him with. So, I'm giving away Lip Apeel from BeautiControl. It's an incredible "mask" for your lips and also comes with a lip balm to make them soft.




3.) You have to have soft hands in case you get "Forever Elizabeth" from your man so when you wipe away your tears you won't scratch your cheek from having rough hands. So, I'm giving away a big tube of BeautiControl's Regeneration Extreme Repair Hand Therapy. I use it everyday and it is incredible hand lotion.



So,there you go. Post your comment. The contest will end at midnight tonight, February 14th and the winner announced on Friday. So tell your friends to visit me and enter to win some awesome stuff! Oh, and don't forget to visit Lysa's blog too~you'll be blessed, I promise. UPDATE: Contest is extended: will end midnight Friday, February 15th & the winner announced Saturday instead!


Enjoy your day and remember...if you get a gift from your boyfriend, fiancee or husband that leaves you saying intelligent things like "Yumm"...you probably trained him for this moment in time, so smile and receive your gift with much joy! If you get nothing, like I did for many years, be thankful...acting happy while in shock is tougher than you think!
~Many Blessings~
Lelia

22 comments:

MaryLu said...

I've had many "in shock" moments over our 21 years of Valentine's Days. I think I'm finally getting him trained.
This year, I got in the mail, (because he is away) a Hallmark card that plays our favorite song. Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire.
(He must be burning for me! Snort snort!)
I love Lysa too, enter me in sistah!

Yolanda said...

Lelia,

God has His hand on you for SOMETHING SPECIAL!

Lovingly,
Yolanda


http://yolanda-highergrounds.blogspot.com/

Katie said...

Hey I just started reading your blog about a week ago but it is encouraging to read. I can tell from your blogs that you are a woman of God.
Happy Valentines Day!!

Anonymous said...

Hi there Lelia,
As I said before I really love your blog, and am grateful for you! Enter me in your contest! I already entered Lysa's.
Thank God for you and your encouragement. My husband also boycotts Valentines, but bless his dear heart, he comes home with flowers other times of the year for no reason, so I feel pretty lucky.
God bless, Your sister,
Heather

Kimberly said...

Oooh, oooh! Beauty impaired me wouldn't mind some beauty control! hee hee! You know I come by cause I love you, not because you're giving away stuff. That's just a bonus! :)
You make me laugh! Atleast if you did have to keep the Liz, no one out here in bloggy land would be able to smell you! :) So glad you smell good for those around you, though. :)
Happy Valentine's Day, Lelia!
Love ya',
Kimberly

Heather said...

Happy Valentines Lelia. Hope you get something a little more age appropriate this year :) My hubby and I have had our disagreements over the meaning of romance, but now we are on the same page. I have small expectations (we always say we're only getting cards) and he has great taste (he keeps surprising me!)
BTY: I already have the book so you don't need to enter me in the contest.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, can I tell you that I CRINGED when I read that it was a Liz Taylor scent? You didn't even have to include that lovely picture of her with M.J....I thought it up all by myself in my head.

creeeeeeepy.

But it's been popular for many years, so maybe it's really a terrific scent.

Happy V-day anyways. :) It's totally the thought that counts.

Jenny said...

What fun! Are you going to the conference? I'm trying to. I hope to see some of my new blogging friends!

Happy Valentine's Day!
Jen

Laura said...

Oh, you are hilarious! I found your blog from Valerie, the birthday girl. I'm so glad I did, because your post gave me a chuckle. I must admit, I'm very envious of you for your dad! What a sweetie! Those are difficult shoes to fill for your poor hubbie. Sounds like your training him up right though! Happy Valentine's Day!
Laura

valerie said...

Hey....it's Valerie, the birthday girl! Thank you so much for the sweet birthday wish. I have had the best day! I'll post something later about my day.
Yes, yes, yes....please enter me in the contest. How fun!
Happy Valentine's Day to you my new found siesta!
Love,
Valerie

Sita said...

Hey Lelia,
Happy Valentine's Day! I just heard on the radio call-in where a woman's husband decided to expand on the 'flowers' routine--he brought her a tree!--yep, an entire tree!...I don't remember now if it was an Elizabeth Taylor tree though..could very well have been.(-;...here's an oldie for you to listen to on Valentine's Day..be blessed..
Sita
(turn on your speakers!) http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/kenskorner/deeplove.html

Cindy said...

Hi - I saw your comment on Lysa's blog so I popped over here to check out yours. Happy Valentine's Day!

Cindy
http://adopttaiwan.wordpress.com

MrsProverbs31 said...

Well, happy Valentine's Day! Your blog made me laugh so loud, all my children thought I was done with my work. They plunged into my room. That's great. Stop by my blog, I do have a Valentine honor for you at the end of my blogging. God bless.

MrsProverbs31 said...

Well, happy Valentine's Day! Your blog made me laugh so loud, all my children thought I was done with my work. They plunged into my room. That's great. Stop by my blog, I do have a Valentine honor for you at the end of my blogging. God bless.

Unknown said...

You are TOO FUNNY, Lelia! I'm glad you were able to exchange the perfume...that's always a bonus! Although my hubby can pick out things occassionaly that I do not like, but he does...he has given me so much that I absolutely love. I have to be careful though...you can read my feelings from a mile away. I don't intend for it to happen, but I am transparent in that way. My husband sent me roses today and they are beautiful! :) And I am blessed woman...with or without gifts! :) Happy Valentine's Day!

Lysa TerKeurst said...

Okay... you have seriously blessed my socks off chick!

I can't wait to meet you at She Speaks!!!

I love your give away. It makes me think that I need to do some kind of give away linky thing soon. It seems we have quite a fun little community of women hanging out together. What do you think?

Again... thanks for your way too sweet encouragement today.

Bev Brandon @ The Fray said...

Thanks so much for stopping by at my blog, dear friend. Happy Valentine's Day! And thanks for doing this!

Julie said...

Lelia,
I loved what you wrote. I will celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary in a few weeks and most of those years my husband has not even noticed Valentine's Day. I remember when we were "dating" (long distance) he said he didn't celebrate Valentine's Day as he didn't want to set aside a day to show love, he wanted to show it every day of the year.... WHATEVER!

Today he came in with a dozen fresh cut tulips. He said he picked them because they were purple, (my favorite color).

Some things DO change.

Have a blessed day,
Julie

Susan said...

Hey Lelia,

Just getting online, down with the bug! (NO FUN...) Spent my Valentine's Day in bed with a high temp!

OK, your story, it's priceless! And guess what, Light Blue is one of my VERY FAVORITE colonges too!

At first I thought...oh my she's giving a bottle of THAT AWAY??

I was going to drive to your house and pick it up!

But, I'd gladly settle for the other awesome gifts!

Add my name in, by ALL means.

Blessings to you my friend,

Susan

Annette said...

My husband has learned over the years that this day is most important. It's not really the gift either...but the thought behind it. I had much more fun this year planning what I was going to do FOR HIM than worrying about what he might do for me. I could hardly wait to give him the things I had prepared...a heart-shaped paperweight for his desk with a picture of us, a nice golf shirt, a candy bar with caramel in it...and my favorite...a poem I had written about our first kiss. The poem made him cry! It was a perfect day...

I received more joy this Valentine's Day because of concentrating on my man!

Thanks for your wonderful post!

Julie said...

We have a very relaxed concept of Valentine's Day at our house. We usually get each other cards and a small goodie (like candy). WE know we love each other ALL YEAR and don't really need the pressure of a holiday to prove it to each other.

Guess I'll be seeing you at She Speaks, cuz I'm signed up to go as well!

Blessings,
Julie @ A Joyful Life

Lori Stilger said...

I AM SO GLAD YOU EXTENDED YOUR CONTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was on Lysa's blog, and saw your comment - and who doesn't check out blog candy?!??!? :D Please enter me - I'd love to win ANYTHING, but Lysa's book would be incredible. :)
Thanks! I'm having a blog candy giveaway on both my blogs right now, if you'd like to check it out. :)
Have a BLESSED day!