Valentine's

I remember when Valentines was a day that I could not wait for and giddy little questions would run through my mind like, "does he like me?", "I wonder if he will give me a valentine?" and then as the day came and went and the valentines were handed out I remember thinking, "I wonder what this valentine meant?", "I wish HE would NOT have given me a valentine", "why didn't HE give me one with a little more 'meaning'". - I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. From the age of 6 until 18 Valentines day holds a special "Cinderella, Prince Charming and Happily Ever After" tag attached to it. We want someone to like us, we analyze it when they do and we analyze it when they don't, we fret, we worry, we swoon and we get little butterflies concerning a certain someone who happened to make us feel special. I remember those days with fondness but since my 18th year seems SO far in the past I can still recollect those feelings and say honestly that I'm glad that chapter of my life is through.

I grew up, I married, I had children and now Valentine's day is lived out through the eyes of my children and classroom students and I prefer it that way. Don't get me wrong - Valentine's day is a special day to connect with my man and show him how much I love him (which I do tremendously) and to have an excuse to get out together without kids. It just seems like the day no longer holds a "special, butterfly, anticipatory" feeling as it once did.  And I'm o.k. with that - BECAUSE!!! I know that I am loved, not just on this day but every day, not only by my husband but more importantly by my lovingly heavenly father who has given me so many blessings. I feel loved - always!!

Hear are a few things that made this Valentine's day special:

helping Addison make her very first Valentine's for her class

making valentine cookies

getting a caramel machiatto for breakfast on my way to school

making my children some special valentine shirts for them to wear

my sister coming out to Melba to surprise Addie and go to lunch with us during our lunch break.

watching my kindergarteners celebrate their first valentine's day at school - loud, noisy and fun

witnessing the effects of sugar on my upwards cheerleaders during practice (now I know what parents see when they are sent home from school after parties - sorry!)

coming home to kentucky fried chicken, sparkling cider, Valentine's gifts and a normal evening at home (it was great!)