Page 1
"Mom, tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I need to write a paragraph about what love is for school, but it's too hard! I don't know what to write."
"Aw sweetie, sure you do" his mother said. "Just think deep into your heart about what you love the most and it will just come to you."
Page 2
"Well, ok, but Mom, what do you think love is?" Thomas looked up at his mother and her eyes were glassy as she stared down at him and said, "I love you not only for who you are but for who I am when I am with you."
Page 3
"Thanks mom." Thomas said as he hugged her and headed out to the garage to find his dad.
Page 4
Thomas's dad loved to work in the garage in the morning after he had his coffee.
"Dad," Thomas called.
"Yeah, buddy."
"Can I ask you a silly question?"
"No question is a silly question, bud, go ahead."
Page 5
Thomas saw his dad's favorite coffee mug on the tool bench still full enough with coffee that the steam rose up into the cold morning air. "What does love mean to you dad?"
Page 6
Thomas's dad reached for his mug and looked down into the cup, "Whenever your mom makes me a cup of coffee, she takes a sip before she gives it to me just to make sure it tastes ok for me. That's love to me, bud."
Page 7
Thomas smiled and left his dad to enjoy his cup of joe and quiet time in the garage. He decided there were a couple more people he should talk to about love before he wrote down his ideas.
Page 8
Thomas's grandparents lived downstairs and he thought for sure that they would be able to tell him.
Page 9
Thomas knocked on the door.
"Come on in!" Shouted his grandpa. Thomas carefully pushed the door open and saw his grandma and grandpa reading the newspaper.
Page 10
"Oh hi, Thomas." His grandmother said sweetly. "Hi, Grandma, I have a question for you both that will help me with some work I have to do for school."
"Sure thing," his grandpa said, "What's on your mind?"
"Well, what do you think love is, Grandpa?" Thomas asked.
Page 11
"Thomas, it's simple to me. Love is when your grandma ties my shoes each day since I'm too old and tired to reach my laces!" Thomas laughed and looked at his grandma.
"What about you, Grandma?"
"Oh, Thomas, love is what makes me smile when I'm tired honey." His grandma replied with a sigh. Thomas's grandparents held hands and smiled as they looked into each other's eyes.
Page 12
Thomas thanked his grandparents and headed back upstairs to get started on his writing about love. He knew after talking with his family, that he could do just what his mom had said. Thomas thought deep into his heart about what he loved and the words just came to him.
Page 13
As Thomas wrote, thoughts of simple and wonderful things came to his mind. "I know that love is when my mom packs me my favorite desert for lunch: Oreo cookies and milk."
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He thought about his dad and wrote, "Love is when my dad takes time off of work to come to my little league games." Thomas remembered the time when he hit a home run and he and his dad celebrated with milk shakes and French fries afterwards.
Page 15
Thomas looked out his window and smiled. "Love is when my grandma lets me lick the bowl when we make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. She always gives me the first taste when the cookies are still warm out of the oven."
Page 16
When Thomas thought about his grandpa so many great feelings made him happy. "I know that love is when my grandpa reads to me and does all the silly voices because he knows that I love it. He always lets me hold the book and help him turn the pages."
Page 17
After Thomas wrote about his grandpa he got a great idea. He decided he would write each of his ideas down on Valentine's cards, and give them to his family. Thomas found his favorite Valentine's Day cards and got to work.
Page 18
The next day was Valentine's Day. Thomas got up just as the sun was coming up over the neighborhood and carefully placed each card near the spots where his mom, dad and grandparents would definitely find them, and headed out for school.
Page 19
Thomas felt proud sharing his thoughts about what love meant to him at school that day, and as each of his family members found their special cards, they too were proud of the words he wrote.
Page 20
When Thomas came home from school he and his family celebrated the best Valentine's Day ever, together, with Oreo cookies and milk!
