It woke up early, before the sun, to feed the dog and start the coffee.
While I packed some lunches it woke the kids, fed them breakfast and made sure they were dressed and ready to go.
It struggled with a child who was refusing to cooperate but it staid the course and humbly apologized for a terse reaction.
It donned boots and went out in the wicked cold and started my van so it would be warm when I had to leave.
Then when the uncooperative child threw up on the way out the door it patiently consoled and settled the child on the couch while helping change plans for the day.
Today love will walk the journey of life with many people who are struggling along the way.
On the drive home, it will mentally transition from work to home so it's ready to fully engage after walking through the door into the chaos of dinner and bedtime with three sons who have no idea what it's like to work all day and then come home to requests and repetitive stories and meltdowns about dessert and homework.
Then it will gently tuck tired fussy children into bed and turn its attention to me. A woman who struggles because it's winter and another child is sick.
And after encouraging my heart, love will climb into bed and warm up my side first just as it has every night in every winter for the past 13 years.
And despite three pregnancies, three c-sections, years of nursing, a hysterectomy and an aging body, love will remind me that I'm beautiful despite what the world may say about beauty.
I caught sight of love today.
And it looked sacrificial, patient and kind.
And it will wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.
That is what real love and true romance looks like.
It donned boots and went out in the wicked cold and started my van so it would be warm when I had to leave.
Then when the uncooperative child threw up on the way out the door it patiently consoled and settled the child on the couch while helping change plans for the day.
Today love will walk the journey of life with many people who are struggling along the way.
On the drive home, it will mentally transition from work to home so it's ready to fully engage after walking through the door into the chaos of dinner and bedtime with three sons who have no idea what it's like to work all day and then come home to requests and repetitive stories and meltdowns about dessert and homework.
Then it will gently tuck tired fussy children into bed and turn its attention to me. A woman who struggles because it's winter and another child is sick.
And after encouraging my heart, love will climb into bed and warm up my side first just as it has every night in every winter for the past 13 years.
And despite three pregnancies, three c-sections, years of nursing, a hysterectomy and an aging body, love will remind me that I'm beautiful despite what the world may say about beauty.
I caught sight of love today.
And it looked sacrificial, patient and kind.
And it will wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.
That is what real love and true romance looks like.
