Confession Number 80: A Change of Heart

I'm not your typical girl.  I'm not your typical romantic.  It made more sense to me after I did a brief study on Gary Chapman's 5 Love Languages.  While a lot of my friends found that their love language is Receiving Gifts or Quality Time, mine is Acts of Service.  I show my love to Dustin, and others, by doing for them.  I love cooking for my family and friends.  I love helping out a friend in need.  I also feel the most love when others are doing acts of service for me.  My friends laugh when I say that one of the sexiest things Dustin can do is to empty the dishwasher or give KJ a bath.  That boy puts away the laundry and katy bar the door!!  I don't relish in receiving flowers, although they are great on occasion.  We don't lavish each other with gifts, although I don't hide the fact that pregnancy, labor and delivery come with a price best paid in jewelry. 

Dustin thought he had totally hit the jackpot when, during our first Valentine's Day together, he found out that I really despised the holiday.  If my memory serves me correctly we didn't buy each other anything for that first Day of Love and that tradition continued until only a few years ago after Kennedy was born.  Still, after 8+ years of marriage and another year of dating, we have never gone out to dinner on V Day.  I have never wanted to fight the crowds, fall into the commercial trap of one day with my dear husband being more meaningful or important just because of the date on the calendar.  I guess you could say I was an Anti Valentine's Day.  (Who knew that was turning into a money maker, also?)

Over the last couple of years, though, my heart has started to change toward the holiday.  On KJ's first special Valentine's Day we bought each other very small gifts, and as she has gotten older we have fallen into the trap of everything "cute" about the holiday.  Who wouldn't fall in 'love' with this set up from Pottery Barn kids?

What momma of a little girl can resist all of that pink and red as soon as you walk in the door of Hobby Lobby?  Who can turn their nose up at doing a cute craft with hearts and doilies with the special little someone in your life?  And who in their right mind (besides Nicci @ Nix9to5) doesn't like the chocolate that comes with the day?

So, yes, I've had a little change of heart.  Dustin and I even have special dinner reservations that night.  Maybe I'm a bit of a romantic after all.