hvd.

Yipee! It's Valentine's Day!

*pwhthgh*

Excuse me, I just gagged.

I should be thinking of nothing but sunshine and roses on Valentine's Day, right? Neck-deep in pink Hershey's kisses, roses and sonnets. Well, I'm not exactly a roaring Valentine's Day fan. I'm not bitter from years of being without a decent smooch on the 14th day of February, I just think it's an overly commercialized excuse to gorge oneself in chocolate and then go back to the same old thing the following day.

It's like the 'Sunday Christian' I was growing up (eek...confession); begging forgiveness for my transgressions at 10am Sunday but sneaking out by 11am with my friends to hit the ice cream shop down the street just as it opened, then racing back before anyone knew we were missing. Valentine's Day is like a one-day hall pass whereby you cram in an entire year's worth of unconditional, undying devotion...and then go back to the same ol' thing the next. Enter stage left: *pwhthhwth*.

So today I'm going to be grateful for my family and forego the nausea of too much cacao and not enough sincerity. Sure, my family is weird. They have odd habits (you people know exactly what I'm talking about), wear socks with their Birkenstocks and get far too excited when I mention the word 'Skype'. But they love those they love unconditionally, and not many people do.

After sending me out for a morning to myself including an extra-long (and extra-needed) workout, my Dad sent me a text this morning: "HVD, I love this! :)" Translation: Happy Valentine's Day, and by the way I'm having a blast entertaining Emily...don't hurry back.

When I got back from the gym I found another text, this time from my mom: "Happy love day! xo".

Then there's my MIL; ours is a rare, close relationship sadly not often found on a wife's family tree. This morning's Facebook post: "I forgot to send Emma a valentines card so please give her a big hug and kiss from Baba and Pa. And a Happy Valentines Day to you."
With all the family feuding going on out there, I consider myself more than fortunate to have a family that loves me with the kind of love everyone could use some more of.

So in the spirit of the day, I'll say it...hvd. But don't go thinking it's going to become habit or something.

*pwhthhwth*