valentines day

i always write blog posts on valentines day. at least, i have for the past two. this year, i could say a lot of things. i could write about OMG THIS YEAR IM SINGLE ON VALENTINES DAY but you know, that wouldn't be very interesting for any of us and it would be all too predictable and sappy. and really, i don't think that has any significance to the holiday anyways.

however, if i'm being perfectly honest, this year takes the cake for all valentines that have been had. 

the truth is, there are posts in my archives i simply can't reread. not because it makes me sad to reread old words or memories nor because it makes me necessarily nostalgic, but because it gives me a knot in my stomach remembering the me that wrote them. a me that is vastly different from this one. rereading them makes me feel weak and insecure again and it's something i've moved past without really wanting to relive.

last year, i wouldn't have been able to run seven miles. i treated myself to a new PR today and boy did it make me feel something better than any person could have made me feel on any day. i got coffee, where i embarrassingly pulled up to the window to realize i'd forgotten my wallet at home, but the cashier still gave me my coffee anyways. i went to class and had to read my story out loud to my fiction class and they enjoyed it. the professor said it was excellent. i called my dad, who couldn't believe i ran that far and we talked about running for fifteen minutes. i called my grandma and told her i loved her and would she be my valentine? i got my bangs trimmed. i bought two bags of chocolate just 'cuz. i accidentally wore festive colors. 

so i'm sorry if i'm hogging all the love for myself, but this valentine's day was a treat myself day. and i loved it.

a very belated valentine's day post

I am one of those Valentine's lovers. In elementary school, it meant pulling out the crafty guns and going all out. I made most of my Valentine's and there was nothing I enjoyed more than decorating a box and opening it up after school on Valentine's day to read messages from my classmates. Granted, most of them were standard boxed Valentine's with simply a name written on the bottom from the classmate who threw it in there, but the ones that did have a note or had some extra craftsmanship won over my heart. I was also the kid in elementary school who always hoped to be that one girl in class that always seemed to get a red rose from a secret admirer. I was never that girl, but it was alright. I loved it anyways.



To me Valentine's day can go either way. You can love it. You can hate it. You can choose to make it all about your relationship status. But for me, it's always just been a day to celebrate other people. I'm a sucker for watching other people be made happy. It just puts me in a wonderful mood. And although none of the flowers at the desk downstairs were for me, I did like seeing the eyes that lit up. I liked seeing the eyes of my card swiping 11:00am buddy light up when I told him Happy Valentine's day at the cafeteria today.


Niklaas and I kicked it pretty cliche for us. We went to a matinee showing of The Vow, which I was slightly disappointed by but thought was a good story nonetheless, and then went to iHop. That wasn't planned but made the ever so cliche movie-and-dinner date "us" and fun. I have a separate blog post idea for that alone (overheard conversations at the dinner table are priceless). I had a soccer game immediately after in which I nearly puked but scored a goal in anyways like a bamf (haaaa, i make myself laugh) so we ended early, but it was a lovely day anyways.

I've been taking so many pictures of Niklaas lately. Be prepared. You are probably going to see a lot more of what he's wearing lately. I was talking to my roommate and fashionable bff about how much we adore his clothes lately and I can't help but agree. It's nice to know I'm not just biased! He really is just too cute, though. I swear, every time we're out in public together, girls stare at him. Granted, I'd probably do the same thing if I didn't know him. I guess I'll count myself lucky. But really, I love having a boyfriend that wears cardigans and button down gingham shirts and boat shoes and khaki skinny chinos. MMM.

I'm going to post pictures of his Valentine's Day present this week because it was too perfect for words! <3

Outfit

tights- Modcloth

dress- Delias

shoes- Target

cardigan-  Jcrew borrowed from roommate

belt- the Gap