Isn't it romantic?

Ten years ago this week, Stephen gave me these blossoms from a tree for my birthday. He got them on the BSU campus where we were going to school. We had met that previous fall and by spring were good friends (but I had a big crush on him). There were 3 of us girls that had birthdays all within about a week, and he gave us each some, but it was on my birthday that he did it. I went home and pressed them in a seldom used text book. After a couple of months, I pulled them out and they were so pretty, I put them in a frame I had. I've had them up on my wall ever since. He never knew until years and years later when we were finally dating. Since then, he has given me lots more flowers that he picks on his way home and some we have pressed. I have some little blue wildflowers that were growing in Grant Park. The fun part is that he picked them while I was on my mission and he was here visiting Nathan and Beth- years before we moved here.
This year's birthday (Wednesday) did not disappoint. Even though Stephen had to defend his thesis that day and had night class, it was still a special day. There were blossoms from the tree outside on the table when I came down- they were from the girls. I got a delivery later that day of this flower arrangement from Stephen. Then later that night when I was waiting for Stephen to get home, I got sad that I hadn't had cake on my birthday. My sis-in-law Beth had tried and tried to convince me to let her bring me a cake she would bake, but I had wanted to celebrate all together sometime when all the kids could help me blow out the candles and enjoy the cake. Just then, Stephen came home with Nathan and a cake! Beth had determined to surprise me after all. I was so happy! We lit the candles again the next morning for Odie and Ada. Now Odessa thinks she had a birthday and all the cards from my sisters and parents are for her, etc, etc. Thanks to Beth for surprising me with my cake and thanks for the many phone calls and emails, it was a special day.