Celebrate Love

Life in Love, Our Love Story  //  14th February 2013

This morning I woke up a bit in a funk! (Well actually, I woke up feeling pretty darn good because we slept in a bit and woke up thinking It’s Valentine’s Day and I rolled over to the sweetest Valentine ever, Ryan, and gave him a kiss!)- but then I started watching the Today Show and my mood quickly changed! I had no idea at the time what was going on… but after Ryan pulled it out of me, I realized that I was letting society get to me! All of the roses and chocolate talk about Valentine’s day was making me feel guilty because I had not planned anything “special” for Ryan on this day! Seriously- I let society get to me! :( Ugh!

Anyway, after turning the TV off and taking some quiet time for myself, I realized that I had a choice. I could continue to throw myself a pitty party and feel bad for myself because I didn’t do anything “special” for Ryan for Valentine’s Day or I could listen to my heart and feel confident that the love Ryan and I share everyday doesn’t need to be recognized on this one day out of the year with roses and chocolates! We had already discussed that because our lives have been a bit crazy recently, a dinner date in is everything we wanted for today!

I realized today that I LOVE Valentine’s Day… there are a few reasons: 1. Because this is the day Ryan proposed to me 7 years ago! (Wow… 7?!? ;) ) And 2. Because Valentine’s Day is a day to Celebrate Love! (with or without chocolates and roses)

I have made a clear decision today to make today about LOVE! Whatever that may look like to you! Even though the TV and magazine’s tell you it should be about roses and chocolate, I hope you make today about LOVE! Celebrate the LOVE that you have. Take the time to recognize the LOVE that surrounds you… your friends, your family, your significant other, and/or even the random strangers that exude love that come into your life on days you need it most! Celebrate that!!!… because that is so much better than any chocolate I have ever had! (And that says a lot, because I love chocolate!)

As you are celebrating, we hope you will take a minute to recognize the love that surrounds you by nominating an inspiring marriage for The AMAZING Marriage Project. This can definitely be your own marriage!!…. or anyone else’s too! (Please note: These couples may or may not be celebrating with roses and chocolate today! And that is totally OK! ;) )

This iPhone photo below is just a little glimpse of some love that we encountered while we were in the Dominican Republic last week and we are definitely celebrating that love today! (So much more on this trip to come soon! ;) )

Happy Valentine’s Day friends! With or without roses and chocolates… we pray you have a lot of love that you are celebrating today! ;)