Happy Valentine's Day (and a link-up!)...

<div align="center"> <a href="http://loveandlovely.blogspot.com/" title="Thankful Thursdays" target="_blank"><img src="http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu201/ryanahargrave/Blog%20Design%20Images/final-TT-blog-button.png" alt="Loved and Lovely" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Maybe it's ridiculous, but I kind of love Valentine's Day.  And I think it's because...

... I love love.

via

From the time I was a little girl, I've adored all things romantic.  I'm a sucker for a good love story, sappy commercial, or mushy letter.  As I've gotten older, though, I've realized that my perception of love as a young girl was incredibly skewed and that real love isn't always perfectly packaged in pink and red. 

So while I still adore The Notebook* and re-read Pride and Prejudice every few years, I'm learning to be thankful for the many forms love has taken in my life over the past 27-and-a-half years.

{I'm thankful} for parents who loved me enough to do anything and everything they could to ensure that I'd eventually be prepared to face the world on my own, even when that meant allowing me the freedom to make choices they knew would land me on my butt.

{I'm thankful} for a big brother who teased and tormented me enough as a young girl that working in an office (mostly) full of silly, crazy boys doesn't faze me one bit. 

{I'm thankful} for the two girls who have loved and stuck by me since elementary school and middle school.  One is now my sister-in-law, and the other has been a sister to me in more ways than she'll ever know. 

{I'm thankful} for grandparents and aunts and uncles who love the Lord and who have been a beautiful reflection of His love to me over the years.

{I'm thankful} for a man who, I am convinced, is the most wonderful man in existence.  He has never been one to sing me love songs or recite poetry, but I'll be darned if he hasn't loved me better than any person ever could.  He's my dream come true.

Above all, {I'm thankful} for His love.  Everything beautiful and lovely comes from Him, and there could never be a gift greater than the cross.  That's real love, y'all.

So happy Valentine's Day, you guys!  What are you thankful for today?  Link up and tell us!

Also linking up with black tag diaries, The Fontenot Four, First Day of my Life, kate says stuff, and  a punk a pumpkin and a peanut.

* I feel the need to clarify that I actually can't stand Nicholas Sparks books.  I'm definitely talking about the movie because Ryan Gosling + Rachel McAdams = PERFECTION.