Happy Valentine's Day!

Today is Valentine's Day. No big deal, unless you are a card company, a florist, or a candy store. Throw in a few stuffed animals and you have a money maker.
It isn't that I am opposed to a day to set aside for Love, but isn't that what anniversaries are for? A just the 2 of us moment? I think that there should be 5 minutes every day that a person, no matter what the time, no matter how many kids, pets , jobs or such, are running around in a busy life, just 5 minutes where people can and should connect with their significant other. If one partner is away, or not home for a reason, there are phones. make the effort, and the demonstrative effort won't have to be made on Valentine's Day.
I asked my husband not to spend money for flowers or chocolates....I just want to spend time with him, not in a resturaunt. I want to eat dinner at our dinner table, and do the ordinary things.
I am grateful for the ordinary things. I am grateful for the mundane. I am grateful that he is at the dinner table and can eat with our children. I am thankful that he is going to see our oldest son march to "Pomp amd Circumstance" in June! I am grateful and ever so thankful that he will be able to laugh at our daughter's silly jokes, and watch the joy in the eyes of our other son when he competes in baseball.
My joy this Valentine's Day is in knowing that we have survived together, gone thru the ringer so to speak, and come out whole, intact. I know that we can weather any storm. We have already.
So to repeat, mundane, family dinner, running the kids to their activities, comming home and watching Tv...those things I cherish. Looking across the table, or the couch, seeing my husband there, knowing that things could have been so different, knowing that he continues to just be, is perfect. I never need another expensive gift, nor will I ever ask for anything but having my husband and children in my life.