Obligatory Valentine's Day Post

My parents, Mickey Mouse, and I on our recent trip to Disneyland

Hearts, Hearts, Hearts, love, love, love, blah, blah, blah - insert other sappy valentine's day stuff here.

For some strange reason I feel the need to write the obligatory valentine's day post. Now by no means am I going to get on my high horse and begin my rampage about how I hate valentine's day and it is just an over commercialized holiday made up by Hallmark or whatever company you want to blame. I could go on and tell you stories of when I was in junior high and high school and even through college at times that there were moments in which I still sort of dreaded valentine's day - I dreaded the fact that I wouldn't have a date, I dreaded the fact that there wouldn't be a boy waiting to remind me how much he loved me and blah blah blah. Yes, yes I did have those moments. I would be a full fledged liar if I didn't admit to it.

At some point in college I realized the truth, at some point in college around valentine's day when I went to my mailbox and found a package from my parents and a card from my grandparents and an aunt, I was reminded several things that remain true today.

• I am loved. My God has known me since I was in my mother's womb and knows every hair on my head, it is the God who shows up in every sunrise and sunset and claims me as Gods' own in my baptismal waters and makes me new each and every day, and this is humbling.
• I am loved. This is something I have never ever ever ever doubted since I was born. My parents, grandparents, brother, extended family all love me more than I probably can even acknowledge, it is the text messages and phone calls and occasional cards that remind me how much they love me, it is the excitement to spend be together and to journey through life together in the every day 265 days a year I am reminded how much they love me, and this is humbling.
• I am loved. I have a group of friend who surround me and uphold me daily. My friends have always been amazing and continue to be, it is the ways in which they call and leave messages, the ways in which inside jokes carry on for years upon years, it is the encouragement to keep pushing forward and the hugs after a long day that I am reminded I am loved, and this is humbling.
• I am loved. There are people I get the opportunity to work alongside and walk beside who remind me daily that they love me, sometimes it is at my full time call or at my part time job working as a life guard the kids and families that I get to work with show me in their own ways that they love me. It is the smile on a kids face as they walk in the door, its the invitation to be a part of some of the most sacred moments in a families life, it is the honor and privileged to share in a meal or serving together that I am reminded I am loved, and this is humbling.
• I am loved. While yes, this year I am engaged and last year I was dating, and yes, I did get Marc something for Valentine's day (nothing screams romantic like getting a gift certificate to go have your bike all geared up and ready for the upcoming spring/summer), and I couldn't be happier to be getting married in less than four months, I live in the conviction I am loved when every night before he leaves he kisses me on the forehead and says I love you as he walks out the door, the notes that get left under the windshield wiper on my car, its the text message in the middle of the day all that remind me I am loved, and this is humbling.