Perfectly Lonely

Oh, Valentine's Day. Tis the season for chocolate & hearts, red & pink, first dates and fiftieth dates. I have an appropriately themed iTunes playlist...complete with Buble, Sinatra, Connick, Mayer, Swift, and GaGa. But, if you're like me, this day is less special when spending it alone. I've done the bitter “I Hate Valentine's Day” thing, and I've shared this day with someone special as well. This year I fall somewhere in between. I heard someone talk about the holiday and she suggested that if you aren't spending it with a significant other, instead of focusing on what you don't have, focus on what you do have. So that's my plan for this year. Focus on the love I already have in my life, not the love I'm “missing”.

I got to attend a ladies luncheon with my job at A Woman's Place. It was a chance to get a little fancy and celebrate God's love with a group of women. The keynote speaker was fantastic, her testimony was just so inspiring. It was real encouraging to be around of group of women who were all there to love life, and to work towards saving lives.

That night, I spent time with friends from church, helping our dear pastor's family move into a new home. I love my Watermark family so much, and this church has meant the world to me over the past 2 years. I love the chance to lend a hand when needed, and I got to build a dresser! Or more accurately, I read the instructions to the people actually building the dresser. But that kinda counts...right?

I was able to see one of my music loves, Harry Connick, Jr. live in concert with my best friend. It was a phenomenal show! He is so incredibly talented and witty and gorgeous. I was in awe of the performance. There were times it felt like he wasn't even playing for the crowd, it was just him and his boys jamming on stage. Then apparently he'd been sick and was on some medicine that made him “loopy”, but I just thought he was hilarious! The music he sings is timeless, and I loved that he doesn't need the shock & awe of a performer to be entertaining. Just his voice and a piano were exquisite. Good music always puts me in a good mood, and I left there feeling pretty happy. I know that was a rare experience we had that night!

I saw “Valentine's Day” the movie with my mom and sister. It was an all-star cast that made for an enjoyable popcorn flick, filled with the right ups and downs of a romantic comedy. I do love that I get to spend my last year living with my family before I move overseas. My sister is a senior high school this year and this might be one of the last times we're all under one roof. Although if my sister is anything like me, she'll still be living here when she's 27 as well. Let's hope not anyway! That afternoon/evening I was able to spend with my little valentine, Preson. He is the precious almost-one-year-old son of my pastor and his wife. Since they are in moving mode, I went over to hang with P so they could move and pack without the little guy under their feet. His smile melts my heart every time and I loved spending the day with him.

My mom has always made holidays special, and this year was no exception. I woke up to a bag full of candy and trail mix [that Target Archer Farms stuff is the bomb!] and Starbucks gift card. Church is the one place I always feel loved, and that was true again today as well. It was beautiful chilly morning with heart shaped cookies and I was able to tell my friends how happy I was to see them. I got the best Valentine from a great friend who knows me all too well....Twilight's Jasper candy hearts! That night I had a “galentine's” evening out, as Amy Poheler would say. What's more fun than sushi and movie with a bunch of single girls on Valentine's Day?? Well, I'm sure there's plenty of things, but I had a great time and it capped off the eventful, love filled weekend I had very well.