it's all about LOVE

Valentine's most of all is a day to celebrate LOVE. No matter what kind of LOVE it is, it deserves to be celebrated. I'll never forget Valentine's Day my senior year of high school. I was so blessed to be taught by Debbie Milton, one of the wisest women on the planet. We were in the middle of reading Crime & Punishment in AP English, but Debbie would have none of that Russian darkness on Valentine's Day. Instead we took a day off and celebrated LOVE. We each brought in our favorite LOVE song, LOVE poem, a childhood item that we LOVED, the candy bar that we LOVED and we just celebrated LOVE. It was so special and I will always remember it. It made me love, LOVE even more then I already did.

Here are the things I LOVE the most:

1. My Family

 I can't describe how much I LOVE my family. I mean, seriously, have you met them..they are the BEST. I think you fall more in LOVE with your family the older you get. I just can't talk about them enough to people. My parents, seriously, how did I get so lucky. J&K are a hilarious pair and know how to show LOVE to their children. Josh & John are great big brothers, always checking in on me and my life or sending me a funny text to brighten my day. My sister-in-law Bayley is the only person I talk to EVERYDAY. We may hang up on each other and leave hateful voice-mails at times but she is my go-to person on most things in life. I call her before anybody. She's definitely more than a sister-in-law. I LOVE being with these people. I never can wait til we are all in the same place at the same time. I always have more fun with them than any other group of people in my life. The Clayton's are a FANTASTIC bunch!

2. My Friends

I could gush about every single one of my friends for hours. I am so lucky and fortunate for the groups of people I've had in my life. I have my since childhood friends, college friends, church friends, camp friends, DC friends, and those can all be broken down into little sub groups of specialness. I LOVE them all. Friends are so important to sanity in life and when you need a little extra encouragement or spirits lifted or someone to discuss a TV show with or talk about life or to just be silent but still be there. I love that I have that in so many people. Such a blessed and fortunate one to have people I LOVE so much.

3. America

I LOVE America. Not in the way normal people have pride in their country, but in the I get chills every time I hear the Star Spangled Banner {seriously EVERY time}, wanted to live in DC since 7th grade, want to travel to all 50 states to see "the mountains, valleys, and the oceans white with foam", have been to the American History museum more times than normal, and almost cried when I came back from France and the customs man in the airport said "Welcome home to the United States of America Miss Clayton" kind of way. I love everything about this country. I love the history and the traditions, I LOVE saying the pledge of allegiance , and I LOVE presidential elections. Sure I LOVE watching the pomp and circumstance of the British Royals {especially Wills & Kate} but I LOVE American customs more. 
4. TV

This is pretty much a given, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE television. I LOVE everything about it. I seriously couldn't live in a world without TV. I LOVE all TV. I love morning news and talk shows, I LOVE daytime soaps, I LOVE afternoon talk shows, I LOVE early evening game shows and news, I LOVE prime-time shows, I LOVE late-night comedy and I LOVE 1am infomercials and reruns. I am never at a loss for something to watch and be entertained. My mom says the Clayton children LOVE TV so much because when we were babies and would cry at night, my dad would get up with us and turn on the TV, thus not helping us go back to sleep but instead leading us to a life of TV wonderment. No matter the reason, I am grateful for it.

5. Mail

Sending or receiving, either one, I just LOVE mail. There is no happier feeling then receiving a letter with your name written across the front and a stamp in the corner. Today with email, text, and phone calls there never seems to be a need for letter writing anymore, but I still think it's relevant and fun.

6. Coca-cola

Nothing taste better or is more American then ice cold Coke. I LOVE LOVE it way too much. It's become my saving grace during the afternoon at work. It gives me that extra jump start. No matter fountain, bottle or can..I can't get enough.

7. Politico
My favorite newspaper/magazine/online site. I LOVE the layout, I LOVE the bright colors, I LOVE the witty take on issues, and I LOVE that it focus just on politics and makes it fun. I LOVE Politico.

8. Chick-fil-A

I LOVE this place more than is normal. I LOVE it so much I drive a town over to get it. I LOVE that no matter the Chick-fil-A you go to all the workers look like cloned, perfect stepford people and say "My pleasure" I LOVE their sauces and their waffle fries and those amazing fudge nut brownies, and most of all I LOVE that chicken, whether it's in a sandwich, a strip, a nugget, a salad or a biscuit. I LOVE that it.

9. The South
 I LOVE being from Mississippi and I LOVE that I grew up with sweet tea, biscuits, delta tamales at Christmas, people that say y'all, and common phrases are "We got out early so now we can beat the Baptist to Cracker Barrel" I don't want to sound like those awful Southern Belle t shirts that I detest, but I do LOVE all of those things. I also LOVE that snow was exciting, SEC football is always the Sunday conversation, and people make casseroles for every occasion whether it be new neighbors, new baby, death in the family, or just because. Its a LOVEly place to grow up and I LOVE it.

10. Laughter

There is nothing I LOVE more than laughing. I LOVE humor and a lighthearted take on a situation. I LOVE when I can't breathe and tears are pouring from my face from laughing so hard or inappropriately laughing under my breath at a funny, witty comment. As Uncle Albert sings in Mary Poppins, "I LOVE to laugh, Loud and long and clear, I LOVE to laugh, It's getting worse ev'ry year"

What do you LOVE?!