Valentines Veritas

On the first Valentine’s Day after the birth of our third child. This is what I wrote for my husband. It’s about families, and birthing and came straight from the heart. 

You’re kneeling facing me on the floor,
And I’m kneeling facing you on the couch.
My white-knuckle grip squeezing your shoulders
So hard you could almost yell, but instead
You whisper sweet words of encouragement in my ear
As I breathe our baby out.
This is real love.
You’ve worked all week hard as you can
To build our future and feed our bellies
You never complain each morning you go
And on the weekend our daughter cries in the night
Keeps you awake, holds you with frightened small hands
Even still in the morning you make my tea
When I’ve breastfed all night
Because this is real love
Our son who became yours when we met
And who you love as your own
Plays us piano songs he has learned
It’s late on a weeknight and you’re spent
Fighting off a bug, sore throat and sore head
But still you sit there and listen
Even pulling out your guitar and jamming
Because that is real love
All the things you do for me, for my family
Writing letters in German to my gran far away
If my brother is hurting you invite him to stay
When your in laws come to stay you love them too
If you lose patience and behave accordingly
You soon realise I’m upset and invite me to rant
You listen well, you apologise
You always say you’ll do better, and you do.
Believe me, this is real love.
We create our family with all these small actions
That, in fact are massive in their effect
On our future and the future of our children
On our relationship and the feel of each day
We live together and face our lives
With one united effort, though we may differ
Sometimes we wrangle and wrestle
With how to do that willingly and gracefully
But we always love regardless.
This is the realest thing I’ve ever done.
I pinch myself to know I’m not dreaming
Feeling like the luckiest woman in the world
Companions for life on this crazy ride,
Side by side, up and down, round the sudden corners
Thank you doesn’t even cut it but I’ll say it anyway
I’m not taking one second for granted.
I wish it will last forever.
This is me, really in love…with you.
Photo credit Olivia Moon Photography