{rare picture of Aven still asleep after being taken out of her car seat}
It is easy to get caught up in romance and commercialism during this time of the year and it is easy to look at others and think they are getting the royal treatment but once you are married you have birthdays and anniversaries and other special days (and dates) throughout the year so sometimes Valentines day seems a bit too planned and contrived. My coworkers received gifts like a new pet (bunny), fresh bouquets of flowers and sweet dinners. I however had to work until 7:30 and knew I would have a grumpy baby waiting for me at home (the previous two nights had been a 2+ hour ordeal to get her to bed). So, on my lunch break I washed and prepared some potatoes and set them on a tray and removed a steak from the freezer and had it defrosting. As the best laid plans often go, my husband got home late and started the oven to preheating only minutes before I walked in the door (and I was starving!). We ended up eating microwave bean burritos and falling asleep on the couch. Not exactly what I was hoping!
The redeeming notes: my husband remembered it was Valentine's Day before I did; he brought me a much needed cup of coffee while I was still clearing the bleariness from my eyes on Monday morning and he also brought me a loaf of Chocolate, chocolate-chip cherry bread at work. The funniest thing was that when he brought this in I thought: "this heart looks a bit odd-shaped, a bit like a butt" (and I even told him this upon his arrival). The funnier part is that he said, "I know that is what I thought too." Aren't we a match made in heaven?
Point is- it is often the little things in life. Sure, it is fun to make a bit fuss, do elaborate gifts and romantic dates but often it is the little sweet things that remind our loved ones what they mean to us and what we mean to them. In my case it was that small cup of lovely coffee that awakened my senses after a difficult second night of getting my almost 10 month old to bed. It was the unexpected surprise visit in the middle of the day at work and sharing an odd observation about the shape of the loaf of bread with my husband.
Don't toss out the romantic notions or give up on grand gestures but don't feel that without them the magic is lost or that you can't still appreciate in small ways the love that you are blessed with. I have a mostly amazing husband who still can surprise me with sweetness and thoughtfulness and a mostly angelic baby who is so cute and sweet and makes me smile and two almost all the time perfect doggies who although would love nothing better than to go on a long hike every day and get to sleep on the couch all night long, make do with what I can give them and give me lots of grace for when I can't do much. I am blessed to have the life that I do, surrounded by family and friends who support me and although each day isn't filled with roses and chocolate, it is surrounded by love.
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