Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day around here sure has changed. When I was a little girl, I loved Valentine's Day. At school, we would all bring a box to decorate. Then each student would put a valentine in each box. Sometimes, the teacher would just have us make a valentine holder from lacing paper plates together with red yarn. She would give each one of us a red paper lace doily in the shape of a heart to glue on the front of our creation. This was before glue sticks! Remember the old glue bottles with the red rubber top? Or the big jars of white paste with the stick on the lid? Yes, sir, those were the good old days.

By the time our oldest dear son started school, things had changed. Children started getting roses and helium balloons delivered to class! I had a child in my church class tell me that she hated Valentine's Day. I thought, "It's no wonder." I am sure there are children whose parents cannot afford to do this. I don't think it should be allowed in schools. Call me an old stick in the mud.

Our youngest dear son told me that he didn't really like Valentine's day because it made him feel lonely. He will turn fifteen next month. I remember being lonely many times on Valentine's Day.

I am never lonely now on Valentine's Day. I am coming up on my 26th wedding anniversary. Dear husband and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day, but we do always buy each other a card. On rare occasions, I may get flowers or candy.

I remember our very first Valentine's Day. We were engaged to be married and our rings had come in. I received my engagement ring on Valentine's Day. We were to be married ten days later. We were renting a house, and were spending every afternoon at the house getting ready to move in. I had gotten dear husband-to-be a card. We were sitting on the couch and he was pretending he had forgotten. I gave him his card, and then he opened the doors under our new coffee table and pulled out a beautiful pink heart-shaped box of chocolates along with a card. I still have both. I read the card so much I memorized it and know it to this day:

You must know I love you
And you must know too
That my happiest moments
Are those spent with you
For when we're together
Or when we're apart
You're first in my thoughts
And first in my heart

Happy Valentine's Day, honey. I love you.