Friday, February 15, 2013

Token Valentine Post.

This is not your average valentine's day post. Here at our crazy house, we tend to think outside the box a little. I hope not to make you uncomfortable, but this is how we roll.

I put up a themed wreath for the 14th. "X-O". Do I do it willingly? Yes. But I still think that Valentine's Day is a made-up day. We all know it is a way for greedy companies to make an extra dollar selling garbage disguised as love-in-a-package. This is the part I hate. I, as a loving wife am expecting a six dollar card that states how my husband loves me and counts the ways. This proves I can read, yes? Does it prove that he loves me? No. Maybe that he took the time to think of me, I
I'll give you that. If not a card, then a box of chocolates? Flowers? Do I tell him what I want? Do I wait in silence, hoping he'll read my mind and do what I think he should because the 14th is a day of magical romance where unspoken expectations cease to exist?

This is the part of Valentine's day that I think is dumb.

Here are the reasons I think Valentine's day is fun: Max. Sam. Elle.
They LOVED filling out the cards for their friends for FHE this week. They LOVED sending Gramas and Grampas their Valentines in the mail. They LOVED rolling out cookie dough for Max's classmates. They LOVED helping me make heart shaped french toast for Dustin's breakfast. I feel like my kids teach me something everyday. This week, they taught me about love. Real love. Not boxed- up- bought- in- a- store- love. I know all the things around a holiday like Valentines day are fun, because they break up the monotony of everyday. However, I also know that kids have a purity in their hearts and want to show kindness and love. This is why I think our kids love Valentines. My kids are the reason I will keep putting up the wreath, baking sugar cookies, and filling out Valentines.

Instead of buying, spending, worrying each February, Dustin and I do things differently. In John 13:34 it reads, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also have love unto another." We show each other every day that we love one another (or try to, at least). I made Dustin's favourite supper, and he did the dishes. That was it. I know he loves me because he shows me. I hope my kids see that in him. I hope my kids see that in me. I hope my kids will love because He commanded us to love one another.

X-O.

2 comments:

Randa said...

You are missing the real romance of Valentines day. Vance and I are dedicated and mushy about going out on the 15th and getting cheap chocolate. You totally need to get on board =)

This Girl loves to Talk said...

Yup. I got nothing. Because we believe similarly to you. BUT for my kids we did heart soft pretzels for breakfast (and I made enough to send along to early morning seminary with Ken) I bought four plastic roses of a teacher selling them for charity, on a whim and gave them to my girls and we had pancakes for dinner
class valentines arent done in australia (valentines is strictly teen/you lovers married people thing) though I have done it before and got weird looks. I congratulated an american mum at school who made heart cookies for everyone in her daughters class. GO you! I said. change those hard hearted aussies :)