Tuesday, February 14, 2012

What I've learned about Valentine's Day


It is about expectations. Good and bad. If you’re expecting a spa day and a romantic getaway just the two of you and instead you get a card, then you’ll be down in the dumps until your brain disconnects from your hormones.

This used to be my routine each year. I’d have all these “hopes” that he would do for me – and be dashed to the rocks when he didn’t come through. But what I failed to realize then was all the little things he does everyday for me.

Little things like: driving my van to make sure its got gas and running well, making breakfast for dinner when I’m tired of cooking, putting the kids to bed after a stressful mommy day, sitting and talking with me after the kids go to bed, bust-a-gut-laughing as we watch Bones together, taking care of me and making sure I stay off my knee while it heals, doing laundry and putting it away, tidying the toys, washing the kitchen floor on his hands and knees, reading to the kids, Special Story Time (family devos), rubbing my feet…and the best one… his example to our little girl and little boys.

Case in point:  Dinnertime was approaching so Mike asked Michael to get his sister from her friend’s house. He hops on his bike and rides like the wind. Sitting on the couch, I have a perfect view of them returning. Michael rides a few yards then stops and waits for her. The rollerskates she originally thought were a great idea now are not as she has to stop and rest from the exertion it takes to rollerskate on winter roads with gravel/dirt deposits from the plow. He continually rides up a little ways and stops for her. They are on the homestretch when I see her put her hands on her hips and give him a little lecture. I can only imagine what she’s saying. So Michael just rides on home and comes inside. A few minutes later, he whirls back around and races out to the road. Mike and I look at each other and then out the front window. We see him ride out to her and ride with her the few extra yards it takes her to get to the driveway.

As Mike’s making pancakes, Michael commences to tell him how it’s the boys job to protect girls. Mike agrees but Chloe begins to protest. She insists that she is bigger than Michael and does not under any circumstances need his help. I tell her that she may be bigger now, but someday her brother will be bigger than her and she’ll be so thankful for him watching out for her. Michael continues. “Daddy, boys have to make sure to keep the bad guys away from the girls.”  By this point, we’re shaking and trying not to laugh out loud!

I sat there enjoying the moment and savoring the fact that we did not sit him down and lecture him on what boys should and should not do. He learned all this simply by watching the way his daddy treated me. That is the best Valentine my man could’ve ever given me! 

Now that same little boy thinks of special things he can do for me. Sunday he brought me breakfast in bed. Well, almost breakfast in bed. He’d gotten the tray out, the bowl down, cereal and milk poured. He’d carried it to our bedroom… but the bowl began to slide toward him and sloshed milk all over the tray, him and the carpet. He was so disappointed that it didn’t work. I cuddled him and reminded him that I loved that he thought to do it.

I love that my little man has begun to try to step in his daddy’s shoes. He’ll become a great man! He has an amazing example.

My tall handsome man is not the roses and candlelight dinner type, and I’m okay with that. He shows his love to me in a thousand ways every single day of the year. One day matters, but the rest of the year matters more.

Happy Valentine’s Day to my wonderful thoughtful amazing playful godly husband! I love you!

No comments:

Post a Comment