Let’s Go All in Today

Maybe it’s the simplicity of the subject or the simplicity of color theme~ but I love me some love. Even when I was a single girl, I loved celebrating Valentine’s Day. There may have been a few spent alone, without Mr. Right (or Mr. Right Now), but I always made it a point to celebrate the people who meant the most to me. 

If we’re friends, I’m gonna love you. Sorry, but that’s what you signed up for. If you’re my kid, you’re going to get so much love that there will be times when you are humiliated. I’m going to say hi to you at school. I’m going to be at home each night to make you a semi-decent dinner, I’m going to remind you 1700 times to brush your teeth, and I’m going to hug you with all my might before you close your eyes each night. 

Love is redefined with marriage and motherhood. I don’t love like I used to. This is a real, true, life defining kind of love. This is the go big or go home kind of love. You’re all in or you’re all out. 

Love is waking up in the middle of the night to change vomit covered sheets. It’s rocking your baby even after she’s fallen asleep because you cannot get enough of her smell and her warm, heavy, snuggly body mixed with yours. 

Love is watching your spouse start the car for you on a cold morning because he knows that you have to leave the house early. 

Love is texting your best friend a funny meme or gif from an inside joke that you’ve shared years ago and still holds the same humor~ to you and only you (everyone else thinks you’re weird and that’s fine). 

Life is hard, but love is simple. This is not a two hour romantic comedy in which two people meet, fall head over heels, experience conflict, then reconcile at the end and sail off into the sunset. This is the real deal. But y’all, we’ve got it pretty darn good. 

Is there anything better than receiving a love note from your child? 

Is there anything better than seeing a little face light up because you made a heart shaped pancake for breakfast, even if the first seven were under or overcooked? 

Is there anything better than picking your kids up after school and seeing a giant bag of hand written Valentine’s cards from all of their classmates? It’s literally my favorite thing. 

Is there anything better than waking up in the morning to the one person who is going to love you even if you have a side ponytail, eyeliner on your cheek, and only one sock on your foot? Nope. Nothing better. Not a thing. 

Today should be less about remembering to buy a card, and more about remembering to go all in. I can promise you that no one will remember if you gave them a gift ten years from now, but they WILL remember how you made them feel. 

That’s love. 

Jen McDonald is a modern calligrapher, home stylist and DIYer. She and her husband live in Houston, TX with their three daughters. She’ll spend Valentine’s Day making heart shaped pancakes and hugging the heck out of all her favorite people.