Will you be my valentine?

With Valentines day coming and going, it receives a lot of flack. People either love it or hate it. I happen to love the holiday. Although I don't need any excuse to show my love. It gives me the opportunity to show it. And I can't pass that up!

I never celebrated Vday until I met Michael. I asked him to be my valentine when we first met. He told me no. He was his momma's valentine. (Ouch!) But he started to grow on me. The next time we went to Mexico to visit his mission. We celebrate by giving each other cards, and writing sappy notes in them. And I am so grateful for it.

I've heard lots of people call Vday just another "made up holiday". My response, who cares!? Its a time that is known world wide to grab your loved one and show how much you love them. And yes, of course you don't need a holiday to celebrate or show you love someone. But then aren't all the other holidays we celebrate called into question? I don't want to get into that argument. But if you feel that way, don't hate. Let the others celebrate. Whats the harm to you.

I mentioned earlier, that I am grateful for this time of celebration, because it gives me an opportunity to stop my day to day activities and write my husband something special. It reminds me to show him what I'm grateful for. And I enjoy it.

So for this year, I got Mike a card, and a gift. Nothing very big. And my wonderful husband came home and I received flowers. (Yes, flowers). I have never been more excited about getting flowers. Michael has never bought me flowers. He tends to steal them off of bushes (Sorry random neighbors). And he played a joke on me about a month ago. One of our girls on our water polo team had broken up with her boyfriend and he sent her a huge bouquet with a vase and teddy bears and the whole nine yards. I walked up onto the pool deck and he was holding them. I was thinking what a sweet man! Turns out he was just kidding! lol I was so bummed out. He got me good. So when he got me flowers for Vday. He told me to close my eyes and he came up Finley saw them and said Oh Flowers! (She's got my back) I then opened my eyes to gorgeous flowers. My first bouquet from him and it was so special to me. And hey I love flowers I think they look beautiful.

Finley received a teddy bear

My gorgeous flowers! Awe! 

A daughters love...

Being a mother is the most rewarding thing in my life. Here's a little moment of perfection I'd like to share. After doing a home work out. I was laying on the floor. Dying, and trying to cool down. Finley happened to see my stretch marks on my belly. I have four little patches of scars. 2 from each pregnancy. Finley slowly traced the lines of the scars. And looks at me with concern and asked,"owie mommy?" And I replied yea mommy had owies baby girl. She then looked even more worried and asked if it hurt. I said no sweetie mommy's all better.  

My beautiful, amazing little girl then kissed those scars from bringing her and her brother into this world. And she calmly and proudly said. Now all better mommy. The love in that moment was unspeakable. What I couldn't tell her was I would gladly do it all again. What I couldn't say that those scars remind me of how precious she is too me. Of how lucky I am to be her mother and to have her be in my life. And that I wear my stretch marks proudly. Because every scar has a story, and I received them by bringing her into this world. 

There was so much in that moment I couldn't say. How can my baby show me so much compassion and love. I used to hate those scars. And I thought that I was ugly because I had them. But not anymore. 

My daughter has taught me that I am beautiful. My daughter taught me that life is mesmerizing, and that love is precious. I only hope I can teach her the same. 

What I couldn't tell her then was that to me she was completely worth it. That she has helped me truly know the meaning of love and charity. She is my example. And she is my everything.