Valentine's Day

So I think that America revolves around holidays and corresponding sales.  Thanksgiving sale!  Then Christmas.  New Years.  Martin Luther King Day.  Valentine's Day.  Easter.  Memorial Day.  Fourth of July.  Labor Day.  Halloween.  Then back again to Thanksgiving.  (With Columbus Day and President Day thrown in there somewhere, along with a couple more obscure holidays.)  Each major holiday comes with its own colored chocolates & candies, and all the stores are decorated in corresponding colors.  Car dealerships always seem to have ___ Day sale!  Come now! slogan on TV.  A country that revolves around consumerism thrives on special days.

Sometimes I feel like Valentine's Day is just one of those days.  A day for people to get & sell more stuff.  When I was dating Kris, I especially felt this way.  Flowers & gifts & chocolate just seemed dumb.  Sure, special something was nice and probably expected, but it just seemed like an excuse for money to go around.

Now, I've been married almost 7 years.  We have two kids, and my feeling towards Valentine's Day has changed a little bit.  Sure, I still think that it's a day for people to spend & make money on stuff.  But when life gets busy with two kids and chores and work, a day to remember to do something special for each other isn't so bad.  A day to look forward to, doing a little on-line shopping for someone special to me.  A day to set aside for each other, and hear your husband say, "Don't put the roast on - I made a reservation."  To feel special in the midst of a busy and chaotic life.  To a couple with a baby & a toddler, Valentine's Day is a reason to make the day extra special for each other.

So thanks, babe, for making today extra special for me.  I love your gifts & thoughts.  And the sweet words & champagne.  Thanks for making me feel "one and only".  I love you.