My Valentine

I’ve never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day.

I realize that the day is supposed to celebrate people in love, but I always felt like it served to make single people feel alone. Let’s face it – if you don’t have a Valentine of your own, most people spend the day dwelling on that fact (at least, most women :) Having been single for a really, really long time, I still have a soft spot in my heart for those that are still searching for theirs, so even now I don’t make a big deal about the day.

But I wanted to take a moment to say some things about my Valentine -- because he *is* a big deal.

I’m not going to go into our marriage and how it's great, and blah, blah, blah… We work on it every day, and the only thing I will say is that I believe every couple has to find what works best for them -- but they have to keep evolving. We are constantly discovering ways to make our marriage stronger, and I am thankful that God gave me someone who shares that spirit of commitment.

There are many reasons that I “fell” in love with Chris, but I find comfort in the reasons that I love him today: our Faith; a silly sense of humor that we share, respect for our parents, affection for our kitties, and a devotion to one another. We frustrate each other -- and we make each other laugh -- but I always know that at the end of the day he’s there with a loyalty and faithfulness that I can depend on.

The thing I want to emphasize about Chris is what he has become to me.

Chris isn’t romantic. He isn’t particularly “sweet,” although he has his moments. But he has a strength that I have come to rely on – more so than he realizes. He has dealt with important changes and adjustments in our marriage with character and compassion. I have faced health obstacles at every turn since we have been together that led to both our inability to have children as well as employment complications. And he had taken them all with grace, quiet acceptance, and sometimes a much needed dose of laughter. He taught himself to be encouraging and sensitive to me, since those characteristics don’t always come natural to him. And he has shown patience that surprises me at every turn.

I guess that I just want to say that I am thankful that I didn’t get all those prayers answered the way I wanted when I was younger. I’m glad that God waited and gave me what He knew was best for me -- My handsome, strong, funny, loving and supportive husband. And the assurance that he’s as devoted to me as I am to him.

So -- Happy Valentine’s Day, Pookie. I love you.

"Love bears all things; believes all things; hopes all things; endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:7