When my mother-in-law bought bath crayons for Small Fry, she intended them to be a bath toy. I’m sure she did not foresee me planting them in the shower (because SF won’t take baths at home right now – we think it will help with the surround is up). And I am certain that MIL did mean for SF to be the primary user of the bath crayons.

Despite all that, I am enjoying the bath crayons more than I could have ever thought.

This month, I’m trying to be better about the daily notes I write to Hubby. It’s a practice we’ve had for a while – me writing him a note – and we both believe it helps. Instead of things rattling around in my head, they get written down (and sometimes, more likely to be remembered) and he stays in the loop. In our lives, I have about three times as much to say as he does. (I still haven’t figured out if this is because I am less efficient or if I actually have more going on.) So the notes are helpful.

There’s just one thing: I don’t get notes. I don’t mean that to sound whiny, but I love to read and I would love to know some of what’s going on in his head. I’ve mentioned it over and over (at the risk of nagging), and I resigned myself to the fact that I am writer, he is reader.

Until now. The bath crayons have changed everything.

Now I get into the shower to a few sentences scrawled on the wall (always with an “I love you,” which I never ever get sick of seeing or hearing). My essay on the Eucharist, which he is helping me fine-tune and finish? He gave me his thoughts on the shower wall. Thoughts about this house and some of the recent challenges? He left an apology (!!) on the shower wall. (I replied with a bold, “I am happy here WITH YOU!”) General notes of love and appreciation? There they are, on the shower wall!

Why not consider getting yourself some bath crayons for Valentine’s Day? What would your spouse do when he or she jumped in for a routine wash and found…a love note?