How I Know She Really Loves Me

BY CINDY SCHWEICH HANDLER

Sure, sure, he's all grateful when you add one more Robert Johnson boxed set to his CD collection or bake his favorite almond tuiles to thank him for coaching the kids' basketball team. But is he surprised? Is he moved? Does he think, "Wow. This is some woman"?

If you want to know what really resonates with a man's "awww" meter and lodges in his sentimental-memory bank, check out what these husbands had to say when we asked about the unforgettable deeds their wives had done for them. You'll find inspiration -- and even a few ideas that can be easily adapted by the more creatively challenged among us.

Getting Steamy in the Bathroom
"A couple of years ago, I was having a long and hectic day at the office,and my wife kept calling to ask when I thought I'd be coming home. 'How am I supposed to know that?!' I snapped. When I finally dragged myself into the house, I noticed something on the floor. Smart guy that I am, I bellowed, 'Why the hell are there rose petals on the floor?'

Silence. I followed the trail of petals up to the second floor. Suddenly a light bulb went on in my head. With each step I felt a little less sheepish and a little more horny. In our bathroom I found Lisa sitting in a bubble bath,surrounded by lit candles and next to a bottle of chilled champagne and two glasses. 'Well, aren't you coming in?' she asked me in her most seductive voice. I almost didn't want to, she was so beautiful. It wasn't a special day or reason; she just did it because she loves me and I love her."
--Brian Billeck - Austin, Texas

A Taste of Home
"Ellen and I had just relocated to Miami from New York, and we were both extremely homesick. When I came home from work on Valentine's Day, I found an express-mail package waiting for me on the coffee table. Inside was a box of delicious creamy chocolates straight from the shelves of our favorite Manhattan chocolate shop -- where Ellen had bought me sweets every year since our first Valentine's Day together, six years earlier. They were just one of the treats I thought I'd left behind for good with the move,and having them seemed to shorten the distance between our old and our new addresses."
--Peter Margulies- Barrington, Rhode Island

Gifted Birthday Boy
"My birthday fell on a Saturday a few years ago, and because my wife,Bobbie, had rehearsals for a community theater production she was in, she couldn't spend the day with me. I was bummed, but as she left the house she handed me a helium-filled balloon and told me to pop it at precisely 9am.

When I did I found a note inside detailing a scavenger hunt that led me to several local stores. I had to go in and announce that I was 'the birthday boy' -- a little embarrassing at first, but I got used to it as each merchant handed over a gift: a CD, a double-scoop vanilla cone, then a massage.

At the miniature golf course, I hooked up with friends Bobbie had invited, and we all returned to the clubhouse for a delicious, fairly boozy lunch. The day was a total blast; the only way she could have improved on it would have been to be there while it all happened!"
--Dave Chapman- Mill Valley, California

Going Away Happy
"Kathleen and I worked for the same company in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, a small Middle Eastern country, but after four years I was being transferred to England. On my last day I thought we were going to have drinks with our boss at the best nightclub in town. Instead we walked through the door to find more than 200 people gathered for a surprise going-away party my wife had arranged.

She'd had T-shirts made for everyone to wear that had my face on the front and a rear view of my head on the back. I was so stunned that it took me about 10 minutes to realize that everyone was wearing me on their shirts! Kathleen had also made a poster-size going-away card that everyone signed. She made our departure easier by giving me a great memory I'll treasure forever."
--Adrian Hurel-Wokefield, England

Love in Blooms
"I'm a writer, and several years ago I was working nonstop on my first book. I was so driven that I barely ate or slept, much less made time for my family. My wife, Tracey, understood and was remarkably patient. At one point I mentioned to her that I did miss getting outdoors. Inspired, she created what we came to call The Perpetual Bouquet.

The first week, she brought me a different type of flower every day and tucked it into a vase on my desk. Then, every day for three solid months, she removed the wilted flower and replaced it with a new one. I had an always-fresh reminder of the outdoors, but especially of her love and support."
--Greg Godek-La Jolla, California

Driven by Love
"Owning a Porsche 911 Targa had been my dream since childhood, and when I bought an old one a few years ago, my wife, Chris, knew how important it was to me. For about three months I parked it in the driveway with a tarp cover on it because our two-car garage was so full of stuff, there was no room.

Then I had to drive to San Diego for a rare Saturday work session at my graphic-design studio, and when I came home the garage door was open. Chris had totally cleaned out and rearranged the garage so I could park the Porsche in it. She'd even put in outdoor carpeting. I was flabbergasted by her thoughtfulness."
--Steve Morris-Mira Mesa, California

It Was in the Cards
"I'm a minister, and every summer I lead a church group to northwest Guatemala, where we do ministry projects such as paving roads. This year,as I was boarding the plane in Dallas, my wife, Bretta, gave me nine greeting cards -- one for every day of the trip.

Each card included a personal message from her and notes and scribbles from our two young kids. I couldn't receive any mail where I was going, but I still had a new piece to open daily, and each one reminded me of my family's love and gave me a fresh start every morning."
--Rev. Trey Graham-Plano, Texas

Best Feet Forward
"I'm an executive chef who works most weekends, and when I come home I'm usually exhausted and my whole body aches. The Saturday after last Christmas, my wife, Leanne, had asked me to call her when I was about five minutes from home. When I walked in I saw that she'd set up the foot massager-soaker her parents had given me for the holidays as well as my new indoor fountain -- another gift -- and that she'd lit an aromatherapy candle.

While I listened to the fountain's peaceful trickle of water over a bed of pebbles, my feet relaxed in the warm water and Leanne massaged my shoulders, back and arms. She even had our 8-year-old, Caitlin, draw up a menu of food we had on hand and take my dinner order. That special TLC made the stress of the day just disappear."
--Oscar Hernandez-Louisville, Kentucky

Kiss, Kiss
"I always leave for work before my wife wakes up. To make sure I got an early message on Valentine's Day, she took about 50 almond Hershey Kisses -- my favorite -- the night before and arranged them on our bathroom counter in the shape of a heart. She also sprinkled some in my briefcase,shoes, coat pockets and car so I'd find them all day long."
--Jeff Hutchinson-Randolph, New Jersey


Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are,
while your reputation is merely what others think you are
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