hearts and flowers

I am getting pretty tired of hearing it... and it makes me a little sad. Why, oh why, do people dislike Valentine's Day so much? So what if it is just a Hallmark holiday! What could possibly be wrong with adding a little more love to the world? As for me... I love Valentine's Day... the hearts... the flowers... and all of the goofy love stuff. When the stores start showcasing the beautiful pink and red treasures, just days before Christmas, it makes me smile with anticipation... and it is quite hard to resist... but I do.
Growing up, Valentine's Day was mostly for the adults... but I do remember having a Valentine Party one year... and I remember missing the Ice Capades because my sister had to have tubes put in her ears... and I remember the most beautiful handmade card from my Mom. Closed, it was half of a white heart, made lacy with a hole punch and decorated with those shiny red heart stickers. And when you opened it the heart not only became a whole heart, but my Mom had used tissue paper and glue and somehow figured out how to make it look like one of those party store decorations that resembles sort of a honey-comb. I think I must have worn out the fold on that card... I loved it so much...
As an adult, I love to celebrate this little day of love...not in an extravagant way... just simply. My decorations are simple. I have finally found four Valentine dessert plates for my plate rack... and I have a few other hearts around... just a little of that pink and red delightfullness! Just this morning Eric came in looking for the Valentine's Mickey antenna toppers for the cars... yes... even on his squad car! Eric & I will exchange cards... and maybe a little gift. Probably my most memorable Valentine's gift was a three foot long stemmed rose (plastic) with colored sharpies tied to the stem. I know... most women would not think that this was a great gift... but me? You guessed it... it made me cry (happy tears!) I'm trying to think of something fun for this year!
Now that my kids have aged out of the school parties, we haven't made Valentine's for a couple of years... but that doesn't stop me from waiting anxiously for my Valentine edition of Family Fun to see what clever ideas have been dreamed up each year! This year we will be spending Valentine's Day in a magical place... with several young family members from Michigan (any guesses?) So maybe... just maybe we will have a little Valentine workshop here this weekend... (after the three school projects due Monday are finished!)
Even for me... it is a last minute kind of holiday... but why not celebrate? Sometimes I think we need the reminder... to slow down and celebrate love... not take it for granted. Sure... we should show our love everyday... but often those everyday details don't leave time for something special. And even if you don't have a "Sweetheart," I know there is someone else out there would would love to know that they are special to you.