Love Is...

I stood at the front door last night and my 15-year-daughter burst into laughter as I started clapping and squealing with excitement when I saw my husband pull in the driveway from work! Lol! Yes, I still get butterflies every time I see that man of mine and I also love embarrassing my children! Haha! It was another good opportunity to show my daughter what true love really is and not just what is portrayed on television love stories.

This is real life. Finding romance and joy in the everyday....

After over 23 years of marriage Matt and I still cherish every second of our time together! Would we love regular date nights with a quiet dinner and moonlit walk? ABSOLUTELY! But with 2 busy jobs (one that takes him out of the country a bit), 3 children, and all the responsibilities of housework, bill paying and homeschooling...we don't always get THOSE dates. Lol! We have learned to get creative in our dating and keep that romantic spark!

One afternoon we spent a romantic date at our local grocery store, shopping together up and down the aisles for our family as we sipped our peppermint white chocolate mochas that we purchased from the McDonald's drive-thru.

Now if that doesn't say "love and romance" than I don't know what does! Haha!

In all honesty, it doesn't matter what we are doing. Spending time with my amazing husband of over 23 years still brings a smile to my face and warmth to my heart.

True love isn't always roses, candlelit dinners, or romantic kisses with soft music playing in the background. It isn't always played out like a Hollywood romance on the big screen with a huge dramatic ending that leaves you feeling all nostalgic and teary-eyed.

True love is sticking together through the real life everyday moments that are often messy and unromantic, thorns and all, with dinners that often come from the drive-thru and the only music playing as you finally get a moment to steal a kiss is the sound of a child yelling, "gross". True love is extending grace and forgiveness through disappointments, holding hands as you read scripture together and pray for guidance to navigate parenting and life, seeing true beauty even through expanding waistlines, receding hairlines, & wrinkled faces and recognizing each other as masterpieces from God.

True love is going through over 23 years of marriage contained of victories and heartaches and realizing that if you had it to do all over again...you wouldn't change a thing!

Thank you, precious Lord, for the gift of my husband and the blessing of our marriage! We may not have it all together but our love is true...and it's real...and centered on YOU! All glory and honor are YOURS!