Valentine's Day

If there is a reason to celebrate, I'm all over it. I would celebrate Boxing Day if I knew what to do. Let's be realistic, I don't even have the gloves. (just kidding.) Chris calls Valentine's Day a Hallmark holiday, to create revenue and make men all over feel inadequate. Truly, in one quick click social media can ruin the beautifully hand written note when compared to a gorgeous vase of flowers and a pair of diamond earrings but only if you let it. TBH (text lingo for to be honest) I prefer the heartfelt note. Back to valentines day in our home. It's conference week in our school district which means the man I love is at school from 6:30am - 8:30pm. Looking for the silver lining, we won't have to make reservations to go out for dinner. 

This morning the girls woke up to this sign and bouquet of Lindt chocolate flowers. (the flowers didn't turn out as cute as I had hoped so there won't be a close up photo) My hope is that while they are still a little grumpy about waking up so early they will slowly focus their eyes to see something cheerful and know their mom wants them to have a great day.

This is the last Valentine's Day box I will ever have to make. Yes, I am crafty and once we get started it is a fun process but I always dread it. This year I dreamt of wrapping the Nike shoe box in red wrapping paper, drawing a heart and calling it good...and then I looked into my sweet baby girl's eyes and knew that wasn't going to happen. Liv did a great job making Elle the Valentine's box.

What did I find this morning? My girls bought flowers. Aww, this brings me to tears. It's not the flowers, it's that they thought of me and then went out of their way to do something that they knew I would love. My hope for my children is that the love of Jesus would inspire them to pour out love on others. We live in such a consumer driven world where we constantly think about ourselves so much, there's hardly time to think of others. Breaking that cycle is crucial. Great job Emma, Reagan and Olivia! Another thoughtful person in my life is my mother-in-law. Linda knew she would not see us this week so she brought over valentines last week.

(side note: I combined Emma's Bday flowers with my VDay flowers)

 I have a date with 5 baskets of clean laundry. Don't be jealous! I'm not posting this so that you will feel bad about yourself or struggle with social media induced depression. I know it's not fair that I am so blessed to do this much laundry (and more). The warm cozy feelings I get from folding and putting away clothes will be there all year long.

AND THIS IS THE POEM CHRIS WROTE FOR HIS GIRLS, ALL 4

My Girls

“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day” doesn’t do justice about the way

I feel about my girls.

My girls are giggles and laughter in the evening around our kitchen table.

They are colorful foliage of fall leaves swirling down from oak and maple.

My girls are a Netflix binge session with the television up too loud.

They are games, concerts and accomplishments that make Dad proud.

My girls are godly for more than just Sunday

In a world that tugs, tries to pull that away

They are sunshine and butterflies, an ocean breeze, a spring rain

A carnival, a rodeo, a thunderstorm, and a hurricane

They are messy rooms and birthday balloons

Wide Christmas eyes and Halloween costumes.

They are creative and genius, they are caring and strong

And can dig their heels in even when they’re wrong.

How does one like me be that lucky to have three caring daughters who cherish each other? Don’t look very far to see where they are is all due to my lovely bride, their amazing mother. Her eyes sparkle, twinkle, and shine with a laugh that lights up a room every time.

She’s involved and sometimes obsessed with helping our girls through failure and success. At times she takes on the role of a teacher, while others require her to be in the mode of preacher.

Oh, we may argue, sometimes disagree, her pink earbuds and my blue megaphone With three active daughters, forget man-to-man, quite often we are playing zone

My other half is the better half, my beau, my sweets, my bride, my wife

She’s my Sunday morning... my lazy afternoon. She is the love of my life.

My brown-eyed girl, as years go by, her by my side is all I desire

And always know, as we grow old, her love stokes this fossil’s fire

So let time pass and slip downstream, each day folded carefully into memory I look forward to days in future’s haze, knowing that it will be you and me. “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day” doesn’t do justice about the way

I feel about my girl. 

Make February 14th a great day whether you have candy, coffee and laundry or not. Share a joke, a smile or a word of encouragement with someone you know today. You both will benefit.

There's no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.

John 15:13 NLT