Valentine’s Day, Now

I’ve mentioned it before. I never loved Valentine’s Day. In fact, for years, in active protest, I wore black.

Ah, the humor of youth.

I love Valentine’s Day now.

Not because I’m married.

But because I have kids.

Kids who come running into the kitchen table in the morning to look for their little chocolates and stuffed animals, which we are still doing even now at 9. (And which I hope we’re still doing in another 9 years.)

Valentine’s cards and bags or boxes for school parties.

Napkins and paper plates with assorted colored hearts emblazoned.

I love celebrating love in the big picture sense instead of some overhyped romantic sense.

The day used to bug me because I figured people should be showing their significant other love all year and not just buying overpriced crap on a commercialized holiday.

But now, the break in the ordinary to do a little something special for those around you, well, that I appreciate.

Cards and hearts.

A bear with a football or overstuffed marshmallow cat. Seriously. It’s awesome.

Plus, we try to find others who might need an extra dose of love.

The kids will make cards for senior citizens at their party today which we will deliver to a nearby senior living center this afternoon.

We’ll all pile into the kitchen, I’m sure, to make Will’s/Kidstir’s fancy French chicken and roasted root vegetables (our now go to V-day dinner).

I didn’t spend much money. (Remember, I can’t!) Just a quick trip to Wal-Mart during my evening errands last month. But an excuse to remind my sweet family how bananas I am about them.

The morning looked different than all those rose-colored Hallmark movies.

I woke up early to set everything out and make lunches. We raced around making sure they had all the cards for friends, flowers for teachers, and paper goods for the class party. It was free dress for our little uniformed private school so that takes an extra level of parental review to make sure shirts are unstained and skirts are long enough.

I had to be on a work call with Europe at 7:30 am so instead of going into the office extra early, I just loaded all the kids into Bray’s truck by 7:29 am in order to take the call from a quiet house at 7:30.

Dishes were everywhere.

Mayhem landed on the table.

The only pic I snapped of the kids is the one above as they loaded into the truck.

But I’ll remember this sweet morning. Even with my terrible, can’t-remember-anything, memory.

The hugs and kisses and sleepy-eyed excitement.

Turns out, a Valentine’s Day Grinch can be reformed too.