True Love

My mantra for today - Valentine's Day - seemed to be, "THIS is true love!" I laughed to myself a lot as I thought about the first few Valentine's Days Jon and I spent together. I remembered roses and romantic dinners and such feelings of love and joy. We did exchange small treats and gifts today. We do love each other even more than we did ten years ago. BUT life is definitely different now!

Today was a fun, but challenging day for both of us. It wasn't "romantic" in the ways that society seems to mandate, but it was definitely a day of "love in action."

TRUE LOVE is....

...three hours at a roller skating rink with 5,847 homeschoolers (SLIGHT exaggeration). I could go on and on about the details of how many times I put on skates, took off skates, held children up as they shuffled around the rink... how loud and crowded and chaotic it was. I could tell you all that, but I won't. It doesn't matter. The boys had a wonderful time. They spent this evening pouring over the bajillion valentines they received. They felt so happy and loved.

TRUE LOVE is.... 

...sweet new pillow cases made with love by our awesome seamstress MaMaw AND so many beautiful cards and little gifts from friends and family far and near. We are so blessed to have family and friends to teach us how to live and love.... through their examples and everyday love and support.

A NEW LOVE discovered today....

YUM!!! Rita's Italian Ice! Cherry Gelati. Must. Get. This. Again. Soon!

Thanks Tamara for treating us!
Thank you God for fun treats and great friends!

TRUE LOVE is...

...sharing (a very simple, un-romantic) dinner with Jon's wonderful co-workers. Today was a VERY busy day at the office. There was no end in sight at dinnertime. Since we wanted to have dinner with Daddy, we picked up food for everyone and made it a little party! Jon works so hard to support us, especially during tax season. That's TRUE LOVE in action.

TRUE LOVE is.... living and learning everyday together. It's the little things that really stretch us and make us grow in love. We continue to thank God for the awesome opportunity to homeschool. This morning, before the skating party, we enjoyed reading this awesome Valentine story:

It reminded us of how important it is for everyone to know that they are loved.

We talked and prayed about how we can show love for others everyday.

We made these beautiful Saint Valentine mosaic hearts:

(inspired by the book Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda)

We did some counting and graphing using candy hearts.



I hope that you have experienced true love today... whether in simple or special ways. As the day comes to a close, let us thank God for His faithful love. Let's re-commit ourselves to recognizing and celebrating the amazing blessings of each day, especially when the blessings don't look or feel the way we think they should. After all, love is not really about roses or romance or warm-fuzzy feelings. Much of the time it's not outwardly beautiful or even inwardly peaceful. It involves sacrifice and work and self-gift. It brings joy and satisfaction that remain after the roses wilt and the memories fade.

"Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a)

This is more than a beautiful passage recited at weddings. It is God's explanation of what TRUE LOVE looks like. You can replace the word "love" with God's name. Can you replace it with yours?