“What’s this Valentine’s Day thing for?”

My kids are young, at ages 8, 6, and 3.

Excuse me, ages 8 AND A HALF, 6 I’LL BE 7 IN MAY, and 3 MY BIRFDAY IS SO SOON!

The idea of Valentine’s Day is lost on them. It’s too much pink if you ask my son, and too much sugar if you ask me. There is nothing connected to the day except for parties at school, miniature cards with names scrawled in adorable handwriting, and, this year, ashes on foreheads. #Catholics

This morning when my middle child asked me what this Valentine’s Day stuff is for anyway, I began the religious explanation of Saint Valentine and watched her eyes glaze over. It’s cool, I was pretty tired, so it worked out that she wasn’t necessarily interested in a history lesson. “It’s for love,” was enough for her.

“Well I love you, Mummy!” she proclaimed as she wrapped her arms around my waist.

She is my favorite today.

We talked about the different kinds of love: family, parents and kids, friends, and–because Fuller House is played on loop in our living room these days–the romantic kind. That’s the kind she was most interested in, and with a sly smile, asked if I “loved Daddy, or like liked him.”

Teehee! Kids are funny!

I launched into a wordy dissertation about how important it is to like a person before you love them, because being friends first is essential. Bent over the kitchen island, cutting the crust off of her PB&J, I shouted out love truths: Respect is key! Humor is a must! Trust is vital! I realized my words were lost on her when she asked me to stop yelling because she was trying to watch the DJ/Steve/Matt love triangle unfold. Good talk kid thanks.

My brain kept on thinking thoughts anyway. It thought…

I’m so grateful my husband and I like like each other after almost two decades of togetherness. ‘Cause he can be really annoying and I can be super frustrating. WHEW!

we’re incredibly blessed to have healthy children who have safe homes and a whole extended circle of family and friends who love them.

love is spritzing on perfume in the letter “Z” for my husband’s name. 

my gal pals are second to none and I wouldn’t want to do this life, especially Motherhood, without them. It does take a village and mine is the best so there.

though it takes work (So. Much. Work.), my marriage is a partnership full of putting each other first and all kinds of reciprocity and I’m damn proud of what we are together. Which is awesome. We are awesome together.

despite Valentine’s Day being totally commercialized and missing the point of love entirely–spoiler alert, the day is not about men bestowing gifts and chocolate and niceties unto their ladies, see also: reciprocity–the idea behind the “holiday” is, in fact, sweet.

So, to my 6 I’LL BE 7 IN MAY daughter, this Valentine’s Day thing is really just for taking a minute to say I love you to someone. Anyone. Everyone. Worth noting, however, I wouldn’t be mad at a chocolate-covered Oreo.