Love.

It's Valentine's Day. Not my favorite holiday (Christmas), but not my least favorite (International Clown Week..it exists and I am terrified by it). Yes, it does have the potential to be obnoxious and showy, but this year it was pretty good. I'm a believer that it is the simple things that make love great, not life-sized bears that you have to carry around school all day. Or those wonderful conversation hearts. Or Disney-themed cards..elementary school was so great.

All joking aside, despite my love of angry music and the color black, I definitely try to see love in everything. I'm lucky enough to have parents that have been together since they were 16 years old as the perfect role models of what love should be. It's friendship in its most beautiful form. It's being able to laugh through the bad times and be thankful for the good ones. I also have a best friend and lovely sister who has found her other half in one of the greatest people I have ever known (he chose to be a part of my crazy family, so you know he is pretty brave :)). They give me faith that, despite all the craziness in the world today, we will find the one person who makes everything make sense. So, obviously, I have pretty big shoes to fill with my family when it comes to love.

Over winter break, my sweet Daddy came home from work and was talking to me as I put away dishes. The convo went as follows.

Mike "Your mother tells me you think you are going to be a cat lady"
Me"Uhh......" (HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THIS???)
Mike "Don't worry. You are beautiful. You are going to find the right person. It doesn't always happen when you're in high school, like it did with me and your mom, but it will happen."

He is so precious.

Sooooo. In honor of this day, here are some of my favorite love songs. Songs that I like to put on when I'm feeling all optimistic or when I need to be. Songs that I put on as I'm getting ready when I think I might get to see someone really special. Songs that I drive down the road to, blaring them because I believe that love can be louder than just about anything else in your head.

WHOA. Sorry for the rant. I'm writing all this sappy mess because I want people to know that if you are feeling lonely or whatever today, don't. You are beautiful in every way and someday, someone will come along and change everything. I believe that. And if you are enjoying today with someone, that's awesome. Hold on to them. And if you are enjoying this day without someone and doing just fine, you are a badass and I salute you.

Love, love, love. Me.

1. Something to Lose-Corey Smith. This song is so innocent and and true. I love it.
2. Princess-Matt Nathanson. This is fun to dance around to.
3. Better Together-Jack Johnson. I think I use this song a lot. But it is effortless and honest, two things love should always be.
4. Sweet and Low-Augustana. "No one's giving up quite yet, we've got too much to lose"
5. She (For Liz)-Parachute. "How can the only thing that's killing me make me feel so alive?"
6. I Believe in You-Tyler Hilton. "That's all I need, someone like you burning through me" Tyler is so wonderful.
7. I Just Realized-Matt Wertz. The acoustic guitar and the simplicity of the words are perfect. This song makes me want to lay in a grassy field in the summer.
8. You and Me-Lifehouse. I still get chills when I hear this.
9. To Be With You-Mr. Big. Old school 90's. Probably my favorite love song of all time. I play it on guitar and it instantly puts me in a good mood.
10. Let Love In- The Goo Goo Dolls. "You're the only one I've ever believed in, the answer that could never be found the moment you decided to let love it".