Love-ly Day

Today, Valentine's Day, is not my favorite day of the year. Being a single 30-year-old doesn't exactly make a day promoted to be all about love in the romantic sense, a day I look forward to with joy. For a couple years now, I've had a great, and different, reason to celebrate, today is also Ashley's birthday. But this year, Ashley is out of town, so I felt on my own once again.

Turns out...I've had quite the lovely Valentine's Day after all...

• I got a fun card from my parents with funny comics and a Chick-fil-a gift card. Whoohoo!
• I had lunch with two of my closest girlfriends. We shared favorite food, homemade desserts, laughter, stories, and exchanged gifts. All grand fans of Grey's Anatomy, we decided to get each other a "McSteamy" mug from Hallmark. And as we opened them today, we pretended to be surprised like kids on Christmas and it made the moment perfect.
• One of my many favorite episodes of "Friends" is on tonight. The One with Unagi. I love "Friends!"
• I had dinner with another awesome girlfriend who has been a fixture of love and friendship in my seminary career. The restaurant thought they'd made an awful mistake because our salads and our entrees were ready at the same time. Neither of us really cared, but we were given a free scrumptious dessert out of it. Mmmmmmm.....Tiramasu!
• As of last night, I made a big and exciting decision. I'm going to Haiti over my spring break! Yay!!! It has been three years and my heart has longed to return to that beloved land. God opened doors and I am going back to a place where I have seen love abound in astonishing ways.
• Finally, I know that I am loved. I know that I love. And I know that's enough.

Happy Valentine's Day!