Love.

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day! The older I get, the more I study God's Word, and the longer I am married, and the longer I have children, the more I realize what true love is. I have loved my husband since before we were engaged but (and this won't come to a surprise to those of you who have been married awhile) the longer we are married the more I love him.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

I once heard someone say that if your feelings for a person are "rushed" then it isn't true love because love is patient. And while many circumstances are complicated I do believe that TRUE love will exhibit the qualities listed in the "love chapter". So when I say that I have grown to love my husband more it isn't necessarily in quantity but in qualities - instead of loving him because of what he does for me or makes me feel - I merely love him for who he is to the point of wanting his good over mine.

It is interesting that the most frequent relationships that God equates His relationship to us is the parent-child and the wife-husband relationship. I have come to believe that its because those relationships are the ones that teach us about love in the true sense of the word, since God, Himself, IS love.

I am truly blessed with a husband who has always loved me, truly, unselfishly, from the first time we warmed each other's elbows at our first concert. =) He is patient, he is kind, he is not easily-angered, he is not self-seeking, he keeps no record of wrongs, he protects, hopes, trusts and perseveres.

Our week:

My boys, so excited about tie shoes.

Its been warm enough to go outside and enjoy the snow. They love to throw it, notice how they are working their way through the yard with their shovels.

We went to the basketball game (Dad's pep band was playing, as you can see in the background) and the boys had a ton of fun jumping from the steps, although the seemed a bit oblivious to the actual game going on.

This little boy in the background became a fast friend. They ran around together, pausing every few minutes to give hugs all around. I missed the pic of the hugs but it was so neat to see the boys being friendly and caring. =)

Playing with our Valentine's stickers from A.Corrina and Gma.

We are getting better and better about going out to eat! Which excites Mama!

Playing an impromptu game - throw the monkeys in the hole! =)