What’s Gotta Go

I read an article over the weekend that said the average American will spend $127.00 on Valentine’s Day stuff. This web site http://retailindustry.about.com/od/sales_holiday/a/valentines_day.htm has very interesting stats….

Now all that is fine and good but what drives me to want to smack someone with a Hallmark card is this”¦do we women NEED more stress??? Isn’t our self esteem low enough with the weight loss ads every 15 seconds on TV, the Victoria Secret Models in their wings, and the TV spots for botox telling us “It’s MY time” isn’t THAT enough? But NO”¦.here we are still getting past the guilt of yet another set of New Year resolutions being broken not 4 weeks in when the stores are filled to the gills with Valentine Day stuff!!!! Grocery stores, drug stores, department stores and jewelry stores”¦isles filled with candy, cards, stuffed animals and lacy lingerie all jumping out saying”¦ “If he loved you”¦you’d get some of this.” 

So”¦how did I fend on the old V-Day? First I will cut my hubby some slack here as we were up to our heart undies in snow and ice so no last minute Run For The Roses in Costco like Jeremy posted about BUT”¦.I don’t buy he never was in a place were he could have picked up a card”¦heck you could even get a card at the Gas Stations!  So that being said”¦Did I decide my lovability on what I received on Valentine’s Day? Of course! I was brainwashed like the rest of the women! LOL! 

I told myself it didn’t’ matter that the average man would spend $135.00 on his sweetheart”¦I was secure in my love. It didn’t’ matter that the morning news/talk shows had a week long of Romantic Tips for the BIG day”¦I didn’t NEED a handwritten love note with Belgian Chocolates attached to feel like a woman! Diamonds were NOT my best friends”¦long stem red roses made me sneeze”¦I didn’t’ need to know Victoria’s Secret! HA! I’m a secure middle aged 21 years married woman! So why when I approached my hubby as he sat at his computer yesterday morning with a card and small box of his fav chocolates did I linger waiting”¦hoping he said, “Oh hold on”¦let me get your gift?” Why? WHY? Because the media told me “If he loved you”¦you’d get some of this stuff” At first my heart sank when no precipitating gift came and the twinge grew as the morning went on as I thought more about it and as every show on TV was about romance and love”¦wasn’t I HIS Valentine?

But once I allowed myself to stop looking thru the eyes of the advertisers and I looked with my heart I saw what LOVE really means”¦.I saw how lucky I am and how very loved I am.

Yesterday my hubby shoveled the snow and ice off our driveway and cars”¦.this took him hours and he never once complained. When our power and lights went out he brought me a flashlight first. And when our power came back on and I was able to cook dinner he came up behind me as I stood at the stove and hugged me saying, “Now that smells comforting.” And after we ate he said to my daughter, “Let’s thank Mom for such a great dinner!” And this morning he got up and went to work and I could tell everything hurt from all the shoveling he had done. And last thing he said to me was, “I cleaned off your car and you have a full tank”¦if you need to go out for anything let me know so maybe I can pick it up on my way home so you can stay in.” How romantic is that I ask”¦Oh baby”¦THE BEST!