love – Sweat & Sparkle

Celebrate Love

As far as holidays go, Valentine’s Day used to not even make it onto my list of favorites. Halloween and the 4th of July are my undeniable pet holidays, and my husband and I put a lot of time, effort, and money into their decorations and celebrations.

I used to think Valentine’s Day was a silly, commercial holiday. Nauseating. Money-grabbing. Forced gestures of obligatory affection. Romance on demand.

Over the years, my stance on Valentine’s Day has softened. I still don’t know what a grown woman is expected to do with stuffed bears or other various animals, and while I love flowers, I always felt sorry for guys who are pressured to drop triple digits on jacked-up rose prices or else be considered unromantic.

It’s not the trite gifts or compulsory gestures I care about. I just like the idea of a day that celebrates love. Take away the expensive roses, jewelry, candy, stuffed animals, dinner reservations, and you have just this: a simple, appreciative bow to the one we love.

I adore love quotes, because there is nothing more beautiful, nothing stronger, nothing more valuable in this world than genuine, lasting love. I believe that every day, not just on Valentine’s Day. And if tomorrow is a chance to celebrate the love I share with my husband, then why wouldn’t I want to do just that?

First Dance

My husband was flipping through TV channels last night and randomly landed on a music channel playing 80s videos. As soon as I heard the song, I melted. I told my husband, “Oh, this song was my first dance, back in middle school.”

He stood up immediately, which I wasn’t expecting. He smiled, reaching his arms out to me. We slow-danced in the middle of the living room, singing along, laughing as we remembered those awkward gym dances so long ago. I rested my head on his chest, and he kissed the top of my head.

I can’t remember the last name of the boy I danced with almost 40 years ago in that middle school gym. But I remember his face, his nervousness, the song, where we were in the gym, the excited butterflies I felt.

What a beautiful, nostalgic experience to slow dance to that same song, decades later, with my husband, in the living room of our home. Wherever that middle school boy is now, I hope he also found love, happiness, and his own lifelong dance partner.

Won

Despite obstacles, despite attempts to drive us apart, despite everything…we won.

Treasure

This popped up as the verse of the day recently on an app I use. We had just spent most of the day visiting with two of the kids and one of our grandsons, so it was absolutely perfect timing.

The three-day weekend blasted past us and was over before I was ready. The main reason it went by so quickly, though, is because we had such a beautiful time. Nothing wild and crazy, no fancy trips, no huge plans…nope, even better. My husband and I enjoyed time together, date night, then also had fun visiting with the kids and holding, spoiling, and loving on our younger grandson.

My husband sat with one long leg stretched out so he could bounce our grandson on his knee. Our grandson loved it, looking up at him with a huge smile on his little face, laughing. My husband joked that I can’t bounce him as well because my feet don’t touch the floor, which is kind of true, but don’t tell him I admitted that.

I took a few pictures of them together. Our grandson’s face is slightly blurry, since he was bouncing at the time, but the happiness on his face is perfectly clear. Our daughter-in-law took a few pictures and sent them to us later: our grandson standing in between us, or sitting on my lap and curiously examining my necklace.

I have always loved watching my husband with the kids, but there’s something extra magical about watching him with our grandkids. Even if his back hurts, even if he worked hard all day, he forgets all of that to get on the floor, wrestle with the older grandson, lift the younger one high in the air, whatever it takes to put a smile on their face and make them laugh.

He is loving, giving, gentle, protective. Seeing him as a grandfather just gives me one more reason to love him even more than I thought was possible.

My treasure is him, the kids, our grandkids, our home, my brothers, my family. And that absolutely is where my heart lives, where I find my joy and my peace, and all of my love.