Time For Gratitude - Sweet Valentine's

I'm guessing you all know that Valentine's day was this past weekend.

I'm also guessing that you each had your own way to celebrate the day of love....or not.

Everyone deals with the day differently, I think. Some are very extravagant in their showering of love onto their loved ones, some are very minimalist. Some have very high expectations and others have given up hope that their loves will do anything special at all.

Here in the DeWitt household we fall somewhere into the middle of all that. When we were first together I of course had very high expectations. I mean, I *finally* had found the love of my life! I totally expected that he would shower me with beautiful and romantic things....flowers, chocolates, jewelry, a fine meal, you name it. Well, as the years went on I modified my expectations and learned to *tell* him what I wanted, if there was something special.

So, when it was just us, we usually went out for a nice meal, he would send me flowers at work, and that was about it.

Fast forward to now - three kids later and 15 years under our belts.

The romance isn't gone by any means, but as we've grown in our relationship, our idea of romance has changed a bit.

I've learned to just go with the flow and enjoy the day for what it is. A day to celebrate love. And do you know what I love?

• I love my husband
• I love our children
• I love spending time with them all
• I love getting hugs from little arms (and big strong arms!)
• I love kisses
• I love going to the store with my family
• I love going to the store without my family (sometimes that's the only alone time I get!)
• I love sitting in a quiet room and reading
• I love watching a good family movie with them all
• I love making a delicious meal that they all enjoy
• I love homemade gifts - making them and receiving them
• I love cards (you know, like from Hallmark? I don't know...it's a thing)
• I love not having expectations
• I love looking for the little things and appreciating and celebrating them all

So this year I had fun doing a little shopping for my sweet Valentines on Friday. I got a couple little things for the kids (not any of the typical Valentine-y gifts...I like finding and giving things that they can use and will appreciate even when it's not February 14. Seriously - we do NOT need more stuffed animals holding hearts). And I also got to spend time to find the perfect card for my sweet husband. I didn't really get him anything else but some chocolates I thought he would enjoy.

The one thing that I also do every Valentine's Day is make a no-bake cherry cheesecake for the family. When I was growing up my dear grandma made one for us every Valentine's, and I kept up the tradition when I moved out and was in Oregon far away from the rest of my family. It's been our own little Valentine's Day thing ever since.

I have purposed to find enjoyment and love in the little things on Valentine's Day. Even if it's not extravagant. I had a wonderful time on Saturday just waking up to a lovely card from my sweet husband, handmade Valentine's from the kiddos, grocery shopping with my whole family and then spending the rest of the day receiving hugs, kisses, and some rare quiet time to read! I felt very loved, and I loved on all my Sweet Valentines.

Whether you had big expectations or no expectations, my prayer is that you felt loved on Saturday, and that you were able to show the ones you love just how much.

~Evie