Jennifer Lopez literally could not be happier.
Not only does the singer have a new movie coming out just in time for Valentine’s Day — Marry Me co-starring Owen Wilson — but she’s living her fairy tale romance IRL. Sitting down to chat with People, J.Lo opened up about her rekindled relationship with Ben Affleck and how her kids are taking to the change.
Simply put, the 52-year-old expressed on Tuesday:
“I’ve never been better. It’s just that we’re all in a very beautiful moment.”
Yes, a certain someone has a LOT to do with that!
Related: Ben Affleck & Jennifer Lopez’s Second Engagement Is ‘Only A Matter Of Time’!
Referencing Ben, Lopez continued:
“I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with him.”
Bennifer first caught worldwide attention when they originally dated from 2002 to 2004, ending the wildly talked about fling by calling off their engagement. Then, nearly twenty years later, after divorces, multiple heartbreaks, and welcoming kids into the world, they reconnected last spring. And it’s been so sweet to witness! Jenny from the Block noted:
“It’s a beautiful love story that we got a second chance.”
The Hustlers lead admitted they both “had a little bit of fear” entering into a relationship again because of how crazed media attention had been in their prime, adding:
“Before we kind of put [our relationship] out there and we were naïve and it got a little trampled.”
Unwilling to let the public stop them from experiencing something wonderful, they pledged to make sure this time would be different, she continued:
“We both were like, ‘Wow, we’re so happy and we don’t want any of that to come into play again.’ We’re older now, we’re smarter, we have more experience, we’re at different places in our lives, we have kids now, and we have to be very conscious of those things. We’re so protective because it is such a beautiful time for all of us.”
What makes it so beautiful? The songstress mused:
“I just feel very happy and lucky to be in a relationship that’s happy and loving, and I want to do everything I can to protect that and keep it safe. It deserves that, it really does… We hold it sacred.”
Enjoying every bit of this second chance to fall in love, Alex Rodriguez’s ex noted:
“It’s beautiful the way it feels very different than it was years ago… There’s more of an appreciation and a celebration for it, which is nice. When you find somebody and you really, really love them and you get a second chance at that? That is a really rare, precious, beautiful thing and we don’t take it for granted.”
This time around, their romance doesn’t just impact their lives. As Perezcious readers know, Lopez shares 13-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony. Meanwhile, Affleck is dad to Violet, 16, Seraphina, 13, and Samuel, 9, with ex-wife Jennifer Garner.
Related: Celeb Couples Who Broke Up — But Got Back Together!
While the Let’s Get Loud vocalist knows that introducing kids to a new partner can be complicated, she believes “love rules all,” explaining:
“I honestly believe that love rules all. Love always conquers everything — relationships, kids, work, work relationships. It’s all about how loving, open and accepting you can be. Not having an ego about things and just embracing all the good, always looking at the positive.”
The New York native is also confident that nothing bad can come from including kids in a “healthy relationship,” continuing:
“When you’re in a good, healthy relationship, everybody benefits from that. Everybody.”
It sounds like Ben has really stepped up and become the kind of man she always wanted, Jennifer reflected:
“I’m so proud of [him], I’m so proud of the man he’s become that I’ve watched from afar. Being honest with each other, being loving, that’s just the basis of everything. I feel like he’s at a place in his life where — just like how I feel about myself — it’s been a journey of learning yourself and figuring yourself out, getting to a place where you feel really good on your own and who you are so you can be in a happy, healthy relationship.”
The Grammy nominee added of the 49-year-old:
“To see the person, the human being, the man that he is today, the father that he is today, the partner that he is — he is so everything I always knew he was and wanted to be.”
While she may be drunk on love these days, she’s aware that fairy tales can be “a tricky thing,” but she still believes in them, even if they aren’t exactly what we see in the movies:
“What I can teach my children is that real love exists. Some things can be forever, but it doesn’t mean they just have a straight line.”
Aw! And while she’s not quite ready to address whether or not the duo will get engaged or finally tie the knot this time around, she had this to say about her future:
“I just want my future to be full of love and happiness, with my children and my partner. I think everybody just wants to be happy, with somebody to go on the journey with and grow old with, and I feel good about that right now.”
So cute!! This girl is smitten AF! Reactions?