Heart Day

"Life Changes. Love Stays."

It is mind-blowing that what began over nine Valentine's Days ago as two, young, college-kids, on the verge of falling in love, has evolved into a deep, eternal, growing, and lasting love that has created three (nearly four) beautiful children and many, many tender memories.

Funny story: I made a Valentine's breakfast for the boys of pink, heart-shaped pancakes. When Hank saw the festive pancakes, he said, "Mom! Thats silly! Pancakes for breakfast?!" We eat breakfast for dinner so often that the part of the meal that Hank found silly wasn't the color or shape, but the fact that we were eating pancakes in the a.m.

I sent Hank to school with the adorable homemade Valentine's to deliver to his classmates that he and Nana Grover made together--a little paper gun that pulls out of a paper holster, with a stick of gum attached, and the saying, "stick 'em up, Valentine!" Hank tells me his Valentine's were a hit with his friends. While he was at school, Max helped me make Valentine's sugar cookies, which we all delivered, along with a family lunch, to Aaron at the office. Later, Aaron and I got to go on a date, just the two of us.

I hope my boys already know how much I love them, but I don't mind taking the extra opportunity on Valentine's Day to express to each of them how special they are and how much they are loved.