A Very Hairy Valentine

Sometime after Halloween 2006 (I don’t remember exactly when), Dan decided to start letting his beard grow. By March 2007, it looked like this:

And I kind of liked it. He looked like a rich and mysterious Russian. At least when the rest of his hair was closely trimmed like it is in this picture.

But it kept growing. And growing. And growing. Sometime around May 2007, I decided it was getting a little too long and straggly for my tastes. He told me he was growing it out until summer, when it got warmer. Yay! I thought. Just another month or so to wait.

But he didn’t get rid of the beard when summer came. He kept growing it.

He told me he was growing it out for Halloween, so he could dress up like a pirate. Okay, I thought, a few more months is bearable. Besides, I kinda like pirates.

So on Halloween I braided his beard a la Johnny Depp. And my heart went pitter patter.

And still, the beard stayed. I occasionally dropped a subtle hint or two that I really thought this had gone on long enough and that he was long overdue for a more closely trimmed look.

Nothing changed, and I concluded that subtlety is not a language Dan speaks.

Last Sunday, I abandoned all hope of being subtle when we were heading out the door for church and I took a look at him:

I took a look at him and, without even the slightest trace of subtlety or tact, said, “Good grief, man, you like like a bum!”

Did I mention we were on our way to church? Yikes.

Anyway, imagine my surprise when I found a furry little something on my pillow for Valentines Day. At first I didn’t know what it was or why it was there, but after a moment I realized that he had cut off his beard! All six inches of it.

My initial reaction? “Oh my gosh, you know I’m going to have to save that thing!” And then I cried. And I kissed him. A lot.

I have My Man Dan back! Yippee!