For this Valentine’s post, I thought it would be celebratory to meditate on LOVE (what else on this day of hearts?). Here goes –

L O V E  is …

• A spontaneous hug around the legs from an adoring daughter
• A wet and sloppy kiss from her twin sister
• Bright smiles to greet you in the morning (even when you quite frankly don’t feel so bright and cheery)
• A bouquet of yellow roses blooming into orange
• A friend’s understanding words and listening ear on a hard day
• The unexpected beauty of a sunset over the river as the day fades, sea gulls’ silhouettes flying into the light
• A heartfelt note from my husband
• Dinner shared with friends and family, rich with feasting and conversation
• A date at Luna Maya while friends watched the girls as part of a baby swap
• Uninterrupted conversation
• Conversation interrupted by little hands tugging for your attention
• Heart-shaped sugar cookies to savor
• Lavender hot chocolate at my new favorite coffee shop, Stella’s Cafe
• Timeless words written by God to assure his people of his undying, steadfast, never-giving-up love for them
• A cross on a hill in Jerusalem where the innocent died for the guilty
• THE story of love  from where all other love derives its meaning and truest expression
• My husband’s offer to feed the girls dinner so that I could have a break from a long day that felt rather loveless, not because of him or my daughters but just because it was an extraordinarily hard “ordinary” day of tantrums, fussing, and short naps.
• Choosing not to write more so that I help him in this “witching hour” before bedtime …