Valentines

Valentines has for many years not been a huge holiday celebrated in our family. Since I work in a flower shop, my Valentines has always been very busy and I am usually exhausted! The kids however love this holiday. Paul usually gets something for the girls and I guess I am in line to get something for J Man this year!

It should be a holiday where we cherish the ones we love but somehow with all the things we socially need to do it gets lost.

For example...

The kids are encouraged to send valentines to everyone in their class, I support this so no one will feel left out. However, Cici has close to 25 kids in her class and Beaner has 18... plus teachers (Beaner has 2), plus other friends in other classes, plus friends at church (also important not to leave anyone out there), plus our family..... anyone I am forgetting.... oh ya, extended family (sorry I don't' think you'll be getting any this year!). Cici wanted to write them all herself which I obviously supported, but I still needed to help her organize her chaos! Beany did really well with writing her name on hers for the first 10 or 11 and then petered out. I am not one to leave this to the last minute so we have been doing valentines for days and days. Oh, and they wanted not just to give a card but a treat too, which also in Cici's mind required names on as well.

As much work and toil this has been, Cici didn't want to stop. She could think of a dozen or more people outside of the above list, she told me she loves to do valentines! I had to stop her because we ran out of candy! I am glad that both girls are focusing on the fun it is to give them and they haven't even thought of the ones that they are going to get. Despite what I see as work and chaos, they see as a chance to tell their friends that they are appreciated. They went out of their way to hand pick each card, tattoo and sticker for each person. Maybe I should take a cue from them and change my focus. This means something to them, even though this holiday for me has WORK as it's meaning.

Happy Valentines everyone, you are cherished by me (even though you won't get a valentine)!