Happy Valentine's Day

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I use to get so hurt and feel so rejected when Jarod slowly stopped doing all the romantic gestures he did when our relationship started. I remember how the lack of love notes, gorgeous flowers and sweet, romantic gestures used to be a common source of our arguments. Sure, he would get me flowers, candy, stuffed animals and cards on my birthday and other Hallmark days holidays but I wanted them frequently. I wanted them weekly.

This caused a lot of strife early in our relationship because 1) Jarod’s a boy and 2) Jarod’s probably one of the least romantic people that ever existed on this planet. His mind doesn’t think in big sweeping, grand gestures of love. Mine does. His mind thinks in a more linear, deductive, logical, habitual way. And mine doesn’t.

When this last Valentine’s Day rolled around and I didn’t get any flowers, a present or stuffed animal; surprisingly, I was really okay with that. I actually felt the most love this Valentine’s Day than any other. Honestly, I think Valentine’s Day is wonderful and any day in which we are inspired to show and act with love cannot be anything but beautiful to me. So why did I let him off the hook without as much as a card on this much-anticipated romantic day?

Because I know how insane our lives are these days. The hours he works and the craziness of our household take away from small amount of quality time we spend together; instead of going out shopping for me, I would rather cuddle with him in bed or watch his cute butt do the dishes, clean the house or play with our children.

But the biggest reason I don’t need romance as much as I once did is because I feel it daily, often and in little moments unseen from the rest of the world. I feel his love for me each and every time I have a horrible day and even after working a physically hard and long ten-hour day, he graciously tells me that he’ll take care of the kids and to go lock myself in our bedroom. I feel his love when the alarm goes off as the rest of the world is heavily-asleep and the bed slightly shifts as he rises each and every day to provide for his family. I feel his love when I see the apartment of my dreams and he remarks with such ease, “if you want it, we’ll get it,” even though that means we’ll be paying a month and a half’s rent at two separate places and even though that means working incredibly long hours for him.

I no longer get swept up in grand, romantic gestures of love because Jarod’s willingness to do the hard, gritty work of every day necessity moves me more than any Hallmark card ever could. I don’t see his love in a box of chocolate, flowers that will inevitably wilt away or another stuffed animal that will simply add to our already overwhelming array of toys and stuffed animals.

I see his love through his daily actions. I see his love through his dedication and sacrifice of himself and for his family. I see his love in the little moments. Even though I think Valentine’s Day is a beautiful holiday, I’m so thankful that I see the fruits of our love for one another more than once a year. I'm incredibly blessed to see it daily by the kind of love I have always hoped for.

Babe, I love you foreve and for always ;)