Happy Coveting Day!

Valentine's Day is so sweet, but love shouldn't need an excuse to make a grandiose debut on this day only.  Or so I tell myself because Husband and I are both quite apathetic to the day and we justify this by the fact that we've spent more than enough on each other through our recent home purchase (and all the expenses that come with it), that we're moving soon and need to save up, that we're having another kid soon and also need to save up, and that we express our love daily anyway.

I feel like I used to go out of the way to do more when I was single, because single awareness day is so important to be celebrated.  Actually, with my really close friends, we'd always get each other something special if the other was single.  It was a nice and comforting thing to have, especially when red, pink, flowers, chocolates, and sweet gestures of love were ubiquitous and inescapable.

With social media these days, it's become even worse than single days.  I mean, in many ways it's really sweet to see what other people do for their significant others, but for those of us who don't do much, there's this weird unnecessary pressure and inkling to covet that might not have been there before. How we seem to jump over this hurdle is to openly talk about the future when I might get flowers or chocolates or jewelry or we might just plan a spontaneous escapade together!  But when we do that, the dreams tend to become the family we will have, the things we will do together, the places we will travel to, and the missions we will serve.  Take what you can, right?

Nevertheless, any excuse to party is fine by me (this includes St. Patrick's Day, Cinco De Mayo, and much much more... and having a big nice backyard next year will be just the excuse to have more parties!).  I'm hoping to get together with some of the resident wives and kiddos, get one Valentine and do the whole South Pasadena circle tradition where the kids sit in a circle and give a Valentine to the person on their left (or right..?).  Plus, after missing the South Pasadena Valentine's celebration every year we were there (first year, working without kids, second year, kid was too young to care and me too lazy to make it out with him), I want to do something!

Love is in the air.  And if not, every indication that it should be in the form of red, pink, ribbons, ruffles, flowers, chocolates, and chocolate covered strawberries, pink sprinkles, and red hearts will remind you of it.

I do think it will be fun as my kids grow older and we can make Valentine's Day cards together for all our family (will admit, too lazy this year...) do heart attacks for Family Home Evening, and make heart shaped pancakes together.  Plus, who doesn't love buying or making some cute Valentine's for the school parties?  I LOVED the cupcakes the volunteer parents brought to our Valentine's Day parties with frosting and sprinkles, only to learn years later they were out of a box and I could easily mimic it too!  How much I looked forward to those cupcakes every year (twice - once for the Christmas party and once for the Valentine's party... yes, it was called Christmas before all the liberals attacked any reference to Christ or God at school and became the "Holiday Party"), and how much I loved the heart shaped pink rice krispy treats too!  Oh the fun we will have.  Especially in this generation of Pinterest inspired activities with children.

Happy Valentine's Day!  May today and everyday be filled with love.

And to my TWO valentines... I love you both to pieces!