Valentine's Day

I know that alot of people don't like Valentine's Day. They think that it is a commercial holiday (which it probably is) and that it is cheesy and some even think that it is depressing. To me, Valentine's Day is more than a "romantic" day. It is a day where I think about all of the people that I love and who are important to me, and I go out of my way to show them how much I love them.

My mother was always very good at holidays and at making them special for us. On Valentine's Day she would give us all a little box of chocolates and a Valentine's card that told us that she loved us. I still have some of those cards, and I love them. Because of this, now I try and continue that tradition on with my own kids. So this morning, when the kiddies got up, there was a box of chocolates for each of them, a Valentine's Day card from their Mommy, a new Valentine's T-Shirt and a special princess chapstick for the girlies. Dustin got chocolates, a card, and a kissing monkey! Tonight, after dinner, we are going to have a special chocolate fondue (which is my kids' FAVORITE dessert!!) and basically we are spending the day together. Otto has to work, but the kids have the day off of school, so it is nice to actually have them home on this holiday.

Last night, at Activity Days, I asked some of my girls if their families did anything for Valentine's Day. Most of them said, "no". That made me feel a bit sad for them because as a mother, I look for as many different ways to teach my children about love as I can. I try and find ways to show them how much I love them, and try and find ways for them to show others how much they love each other. What better way than to take a day set aside for LOVE and make it as fun and as special as possible. Am I taking the holiday a bit too far. . . . maybe. . . . but I have never found a person who didn't like to be made to feel special every once in awhile. . . . and to me, that is what it's all about!