Happy Love Day!!

So this past Monday was Valentine's day!!  We weren't able to do much, I was hacking up a storm and sitting at the Dr's office, only to find out that I had walking pneumonia, or the beginning of it, however you'd prefer to describe it.  So, it wasn't our most memorable of celebrations together!!  But, on the bright side, my valentine was by my side the whole time, taking care of me, wanting to help me feel better!!

Today in the car, I heard this song, (make sure to pause the blog music first) it wasn't my first time hearing, but the first in a while.  And it was such a great reminder from God about what today is about!!  Not Valentine's day, but today, every day that we are given with our spouses that we have been blessed with.  We are called to love every day, not just on birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions.  And as the song reminded me, that is exactly what we were doing on Valentine's day.  It wasn't the Hallmark, commercialized version we have all been programmed by movies, romance novels, and other media to think it should be.  But it was the real kind of love.  The kind that God has offered to us, and in turn asked us to give away.  Marriage was established by God to be the closest resemblance of His love for us, and yet, in this day and age where the divorce rate is higher than 50% it certainly doesn't seem like it!!

This past year has been an adventurous one to say the least for us.  Between different job situations, Naomi's diagnosis, and all the other little stressors that every day life with 4 kids 6 and under can bring you,it isn't always easy, or anything like the movies!!  But as we near 8 yrs of being together, I can honestly say that our love is REAL!!  That I am blessed with a man that knows me inside and out, has seen me at my worst several times, knows all of my faults, and yet chooses to kiss me, hold my hand, and laugh with me!  It hasn't been anything like we had pictured at first, but it has been exactly what we needed.  Each trial has matured us, grown us as individuals and as a couple, and has helped each of us be more certain and feel safe by what we share together!!  

 I am thankful that we weren't in control all these years.  That God knew the good and the bad that we needed to get us to where we are today.  That He has been along with us each step of the way using our imperfections, our misgivings, our impatience and turning it into something beautiful!!

No, our love isn't like what we see in the movies, but it is perfectly what I needed!!  We are still a work in progress, still moving along on the scale to hopefully reflect Christ more and more!!