In my life, I've had some kind of pathetic Valentine's Days (1998, when a bunch of single girlfriends and I all went together to see "Titanic"--the most ridiculously sappy movie EVER--and sobbed on each other's shoulders). And some fun Valentine's Days (a pre-kids Feb. 14 comes to mind...perhaps 2002? when Eric and I stayed home and cooked a fancy dinner together). But I think a most memorable one might be Feb. 14. 1994. Fifteen years ago this Sunday. Eric and I were mid-way through our three-month "going out" phase in high school. I made him a batch of heart-shaped sugar cookies with pink and white and red icing. He made me a cassette tape of a love song. We were both head over heels in infatuation.

At 14, there's no way you know what the future holds. I'm sure I daydreamed about marriage possibilities, and I'm sure Eric was one of them. I don't think any of us really had any idea that we'd end up together.

But, I think that if could I pay a surprise visit to my 14-year-old self, I would whisper in her ear, "You know that guy you just gave the cookies to? You're going to marry him!" Maybe I'd show her the bottom shelf of the cupboard where I keep all my baking pans and random kitchen paraphernelia. Because there in the back is the heart-shaped cookie tin I presented to Eric that day. He kept it even after all the cookies were eaten, and when we got married he still had it. And now it sits there next to my bundt pan and my pie plates. Just a little reminder of a teenage romance.

I think my 14-year-old self would have been happy.