We were both pretty weary. It has been one of those weeks (please tell me you have them, too…just do it) when I was pretty much at the end of myself. I looked at my hubby and asked, “Can we just be this Valentine’s Day? Let’s just take a break this year.” I just didn’t have it in me to make the effort and I knew it would be a relief to him to take off any pressure, as well.

I am a big celebrator. I LOVE LOVE LOVE parties, get togethers, holidays, celebrations of most kinds. Matt is usually so wonderful with them (and he teaches my boys how to do them well,too! ) except for his own birthday which we are not allowed to party for…such a stinker!

Sitting together in a little diner, I looked at my husband of almost 22 years and thought back to all the celebrations where he has made me feel special. But, I realized that the real show of love isn’t in the cards, flowers, gifts, or chocolate (well, maybe chocolate…it is quite possibly one of my love languages). It’s in the every day ways that he lays his life down for our family.

It’s how he works so hard for so that I can stay home with the children and homeschool. It’s when he comes home just as tired as I am, but puts the littles to bed and sends me off for some quiet, or when he cooks whenever he can,sometimes getting a whole meal ready for the evening before the coffee has even hit my brain….

It’s in his patience with my shortcomings,his love that covers my crabbiness, his laughter and humor that brings me out of a bad mood, his listening to my heart, even as so many other things are pulling for his attention….

It’s in his spider killing, animal disgustingness cleaning up (that is a real thing), not complaining about frozen toes on his warm legs…

It’s in his love for our boys, the way he raises them to love and honor the Lord.

I want to remember to tell him often, to thank him and honor him for who he is for us. I need to remember when he lets me down or makes me so mad that it’s hard to see the good…I want to see it-to choose to see it.  I don’t want to take for granted the day to day showings of love from him. Because sometimes, when he puts that oh,so perfect cup of coffee in front of me, it’s just as good as a bouquet of flowers.:)