Things are about to get a little sappy here on Happy Healthy Mama. I apologize ahead of time and blame the post-pregnancy hormones on the sentimental vibe that’s taken me over today.
It is Valentine’s Day, after all. And while a lot of people argue it’s just a Hallmark holiday and a silly excuse to buy flowers and cheesy cards, how can I take issue with a holiday that’s focused totally on love? Didn’t our creator instruct us that the greatest commandment is love? (Matthew 22:36-40) I can’t help but take pause amid the glitter, hearts, and chocolate to think about just how big the love in my life is.
Of course, numero uno is my love for God. Feeling His loving presence in my life everyday is awesome. He loves me despite my shortcomings, despite my sinfulness, and just the way I am. What a gift. No pretty red bow needed.
Then there’s this guy.
I met him the day after I turned 25. Ours was a most unlikely situation for lasting love. I was living in Scottsdale, Arizona, and he was a baseball player just there for spring training. When we met, no one would have guessed we would have endured a long distance relationship and ultimately end up together, but we did.
They say “when you know, you know” about meeting the one you will marry, and it proved true for me. Despite our circumstances, I never doubted that I wanted to be with this man and that somehow, it would work. We didn’t have to talk about it; in fact we didn’t even say “I love you” to each other until 2 years later when he was finally able to move to Scottsdale permanently. Our love was bigger than words.
This picture was taken in July on our 5 year wedding anniversary–I am 4 months pregnant.
Our love story is still being written and grows stronger every year we’re together (married for 5 1/2, together for almost 9). It was strengthened greatly when this little girl was born.
Becoming a mother opened up my world to a whole new kind of love, one I’d never experienced. Suddenly, another human being was dependent on me, me!, for survival. It’s an intense, overwhelming love as you watch your child grow and develop. The day she was born I thought that love was big, but it keeps getting bigger and bigger.
When I was pregnant with Luke, I remember feeling a slight worry about how much I would love him. I knew I would love him, of course, as I already did before he was born. But how could it possibly compare to the love I had for Meghan? Did my heart have enough room to love another child? I just couldn’t picture myself ever feeling the way I did for Meghan again.
But guess what? I do. My heart must have gotten bigger to make more space for love because I feel that same intense, overwhelming love for this child. I can stare at him in awe of the love I feel. It’s so big.
So even if you feel like Valentine’s Day is a day reserved for the overly sentimental folk who like flowery cards, don’t be ashamed to take a minute and reflect on the love in your life. Love is big. Love is good.
Thanks for letting me be indulgent with this post; I’ll be back tomorrow with the Sesame Noodles with Red Peppers and Edamame recipe!
Tell me about the BIG LOVE in your life right now.
You know I’m a sucker for LOVE posts!! 🙂 This was beautiful. You and Tim are gorgeous together and man do you two make cutie patootie kiddos. 🙂 I’m in BIG LOVE with the fact that I move into my new home on Saturday!
Oh Maryea, what a beautiful post, I love YOU for loving my son and giving me my beautiful grandchildren I am truly blessed.
Can I just say that as a 29 year old male in a relationship (not a happy, healthy mama), I love your blog! Thanks so much for brightening up my day with so much fun, love and cheer. I needed it today more than any other day. Sometimes you just have those days at work that just plain stink! – Thanks!
Ah, I love this post! So glad you are so happy and have so many great loves in your life! I feel blessed too … I have a wonderful husband, and wonder somedays how I got here! Love all your pictures 🙂
I love this post! Tearing up over here. 🙂 Thanks for writing about it and reminding us all about what truly matters and how much love we have for others. So true about having that second child and how your heart just grows bigger! Oh how I love both my babies (and my husband too)!
Thanks for sharing:-) Brought lots of smiles reading your post:-) It is nice to reflect and to hear others reflect. It is amazing how God works everything out. I had met my husband while studying in Mexico. He was there with West Virginia University, doing a senior design project and I was there with Eastern Michigan University, doing an intensive language program. We knew within a couple weeks this was it. We endured the long distance relationship and were married 11 months later. He had lived in Ohio our first 5 months of marriage. This June, we will be celebrating our 12th wedding anniversary. We continue to grow stronger, as one, through Christ. It is nice to hear you recount your love and to know that you will be growing younger with the one God has set out for you. ( I say younger since after 41 years my parents are still in the honeymoon phase and always experiencing new adventures together and seem younger than before:-) Your children are blessed to have you as a mother:-)
Oh, I love you too Tim!! What a good husband you’ve turned out to be! 🙂
What a lovely post! It is amazing how it seems like our hearts grow infinitely bigger than we thought possible with the addition of each child.
your BIG LOVE sure did grow these past few years. What a gorgeous family and i loved hearing your LOVE story. <3
He's a lucky man.
And I’m a lucky woman! 🙂
I loved this post. Thanks for writing it! Such a cute story about you and your husband. And that pic of your little boy is to die for.
Thank you, Christine.
What a great post!! When I became a mother I was overwhelmed by the love that I instantly had for my daughter, and to think that God loves us more than that! WOW- that’s big love!! Thanks for the reminder of true love this Valentine’s Day!
Aww such a great loving post! I’m all about Valentine’s day, but don’t expect expensive gifts for my husband. A card and flowers is plenty and we just focus on how much we love eachother and why. I can totally relate to you because we were long distance (I was in Chicago, him in Italy) and we knew right after meeting that we wanted to be together forever!
Both of your kids are beautiful and you deserve all the love you get!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I love each and every one of your loves– the huge love of our wonderful God to the love that you get to hug and hold each and every day. You have many blessings and I love hearing how deep your love for each of them goes. 🙂
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! *hugs*
Beautiful post Maryea. 🙂 Hope your hubby does something special for you today.
Loved reading your love story — so sweet!
Love hearing other people´s love stories 🙂
For right now, my mum is my big love, I just love her so much and I feel that even if I had a boyfriend/husband whatever (hopefully soon ;)), I would never loose that special bond to her that makes she my no. 1 🙂
Have a great day!
I hope Meghan says that about me someday! There’s definitely nothing like the mother-daughter bond . 🙂
Fingers crossed 🙂 But I assume you are off to a good start already 😉
Great post!