Just because it's Valentine's Day!

I was the first to say the "L" word, maybe two or three weeks into dating this awesome dude. I still remember when I told my girlfriends - they all thought I had committed the cardinal sin of relationships.

"You never say the L-word first! Mindy! Never!!" 

followed by: 

"This relationship will never get anywhere now. You just admitted you are head-over-heels for him. What were you thinking!?!?!?"

Hmph. I can tell you what I was thinking - I was thinking "say it when you feel it!" And don't listen to your girlfriends who read those relationship advice books written by twice-divorcees. 

I say the L-word about 20 times a day now. I know, mushy, mushy, blah, blah. I promise I won't get too sappy - at least by Valentine's Day standards.

Reasons why I love the one I love: 

10. He dances while he brushes his teeth.  

9. He doesn't care that I plod around in the same sweatshirt and sweatpants every single day. 

8. He's a walking dictionary. Any word I say out loud, he corrects my pronunciation and recites the definition. Brilliant man. 

7. He likes spicy food. His tolerance is higher than mine!

6. A date can be as simple as a swim workout together.

5. He doesn't buy me flowers or jewelry; instead, he gives me wonderful gifts like a Kitchen Aid mixer and a garlic crusher and a power tap hub. 

4. He taught me what "sufferfest" means on the bike. 

3. He lets me cuddle with him when he watches football games. 

2. We never have to bicker about the other dropping hundreds (OK, thousands!!) of $$ to support our love for triathlon because we're both in it together. 

1. He makes me laugh every day with his seriously-not-funny jokes and the way he eats popcorn.