With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about love these days. Which brought back a flood of memories of the two people who actually taught me the meaning of the word. My parents are both gone now but they are here everyday in my heart. I thought A Valentine Vignette would be a great way to celebrate their love story.
A Very Special Gift
Perhaps my favorite part of this vignette is the book. My mother was an avid reader all her life. She liked a good love story but she had a passion for history and a special love of the First Ladies. This book was a gift from my dad for Valentine’s Day the year they were married. It is Eleanor Roosevelt’s book, This I remember. He had mom’s name engraved on the cover which I’m sure was so special for her. But the real treasure to me is the inscription he wrote inside the cover. Dad was such a romantic!
A Wonderful Re-gift
The watch I’ve included in this Valentine vignette is also proof of that. My mother told me the story while I was visiting a few years before she passed away. Dad actually gave it to her twice. The first time was on Valentine’s Day. They went out to dinner and were in the taxi on their way home. He gave her the watch and she promptly threw it out the taxi window in anger. I was appalled at that and I told her so! But she laughed and explained the reason why.
Mom told me that they had only been dating for a short time at that point. She said in her day, for someone to give you an expensive gift such as a watch, meant they were staking their claim so to speak. She was having none of that! In fact, she was extremely offended. He took her home, walked her to her door, and she went inside without another word. I remember thinking that if I were dad, I would have thought “good riddance!” ( I was very much a daddy’s girl! ) Of course, that’s not what happened.
When Dad returned to the taxi he asked the driver to take him back to the spot where he thought she had thrown the watch. Dad and the sympathetic taxi driver searched for quite awhile and finally found it in the ditch. Much to his relief, it was safe inside it’s box. Which allowed him to give it back to her a second time… on their first anniversary!
Wedding Treasures
I added their wedding invitation, engagement notice in the paper, and even the topper on their wedding cake. All so precious to me and perfect for this Valentine vignette.
Pictures From the Past
Of course my absolute favorites are the pictures. I have several pictures from their wedding day but I chose this one for the vignette since it was taken with my grandmother. She was the only grandparent that I really knew.
I added a few more favorites to the post because one tray just isn’t big enough!
Others pictures from their honeymoon in New York, and some shots of their early married life are such treasures to me!
I wish I had pictures of all the wonderful moments that were playing in my mind as I put together this special Valentine’s vignette. Not the big moments… birthdays, graduations, and weddings. There are many pictures of those. But the moments that seemed so insignificant at the time. The times they danced in the kitchen to their song playing on the stereo, (Sammy Kaye’s Harbor Lights.) Or Dad doing his best Dean Martin imitation while Mom rolled her eyes, tried to look annoyed but ended up laughing out loud. It was those little moments that taught me about love.
My parents were married for 41 years until dad passed away in 1991. We were so incredibly blessed that mom stayed with us for another 23 years. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t wish I could talk to her about one thing or another.
I do find such peace knowing they are together again, dancing to a heavenly choir, and watching over us all every day!
Happy Valentine’s Day you two! Love you!
Oh my word, Denise, this made me cry! This is the BEST Valentine vignette I’ve seen this year in blog land. Your Dad sounds like he was quite the special man. I think our parents were around the same age, my Mom’s wedding gown was very similar to your Mom’s. What a wonderful way to honor their love story on Valentine’s Day and year-round. Thank you for sharing their story with us!
Thanks so much Marie! They were both such amazing people. I still miss them everyday! They were married in 1950 so I think her dress was pretty much the go to style in those days. I always say I was born too late. I loved everything about that era. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Denise,
What great stories!! Loved reading them…My Dad saw my Mom at church and even though it was 84 years ago, my Mom learned to drive at 16 years old which was a rarity back then for a girl. It was at her Mother’s insistence as my Grandmother made my grandfather teach her how to drive and became one of the first women drivers in our area….My Dad drove my mother off the road so he could meet her!!! Thanks so much for visiting!!
Hugs,
Deb
Thanks Deb! Awwww! What a cute story! Sounds like your Grandmother and Mom were strong women in their day. I love that. And your Dad sounds a lot like mine! Thanks for coming by Deb and have a wonderful week.
Awe, how sweet and sentimental! Such a perfect post for my current Love and Valentine’s Day themed party if you’d like to link up. Thanks so much for linking up with me at the #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 21, open until February 26. Shared on social media.
Thanks Dee! I miss them everyday!
What a beautiful tribute to your parents’ love and your love for them. I feel many of your same emotions and have as many wonderful memories. My parents were married 62 years when my Father passed away in 2018. I love your post and am so grateful you shared it with us at the Thursday Favorite Things party. I will definitely be Featuring you next week. We just don’t have enough posts like this and we need more. God Bless,
Theresa
Thank you very much Theresa! I am so glad that your parents were together for so long. What a gift! The loss of your Dad was pretty recent. It really doesn’t get easier as the years go by but I know you are a person of faith. It does help a lot when you know exactly where he is and I know that you do! I so appreciate the feature but more than that I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me! Stay safe!
I’m sitting here bawling! What a wonderful love story, and you shared it so beautifully! I’m the last one to get to pick for Tuesday Turn About features this week, but I’m secretly hoping no one else chooses you because, I don’t even have to look at the other 120 features… I know I will feature this one. Hugs, and that you so much for sharing your heart!
Thank you so much Julie! That was a tough one to write because I cried the whole time. Miss them constantly but know without a doubt, they are having the best time together again!
Yay! I get to feature you tomorrow at TTA! Woot! Pinned!
Thanks so so much Julie!
What a beautiful vignette, and what a wonderful way to remember your parents, Denise. I so enjoyed the photographs and the stories you shared. This is truly a beautiful post and I’m so grateful you shared it at the Hearth and Soul Link Party. I’m featuring this post at the party this week. Hope to ‘see’ you there! Take care, stay well, and I wish you a wonderful week!
Thanks so much April! I really appreciate your kind words. It makes me so happy that others find their story beautiful too! Have a great week ahead and thank you again!
What a beautiful story Denise, and you’ve captured their love so well – I could feel it in your words! How lovely to have those memories of them! I hope you have a wonderful Valentines Day!
Thank you Barbara! I really am blessed to have so many great memories! Have a wonderful week ahead and thanks again for stopping by.
What a lovely tribute & post! Visiting you from Grammy’s Grid
Thanks so much Gina for your kind words! So glad you stopped by!
Such a sweet story. You are very blessed to have these photos of their lives and such sweet memories. Thank you for sharing part of your heart with us this week. #HomeMattersParty
Thanks so much Donna! Glad you stopped by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!
I love your Valentine vignette and tribute to your parents. The story about the watch is priceless.
Happy Valentine’s Day,
Kippi
Thanks so much Kippi! I love that story too and I’m grateful Dad was such a patient man! They ended up being just the greatest couple. Have a great weekend!