Valentine's Day and Anna Plays in the Pit in her College Musical!

I do really love Valentine's Day. But golly, it can kind of be a tricky and tiring day for me with twenty-one nine and ten year olds. They S U R E are excited about passing out and getting a box full of those little notes and cards. They come in the classroom so thrilled to give me the sweetest little heart boxes of chocolate (and I don't tell them that I don't eat chocolate so into the teacher's room it goes). They are darling and oh so sweet and I try my darndest to remember just how my girls were in fourth grade so I can be the teacher they need me to be that day. 

But it does leave me wiped out a bit. And I hate that my family gets my 'leftovers' on Valentine's Day. I know now of course they my girls are older and don't need anything special that day but I think that's why it makes me want it even more for them. So I shop, picking up little things here and there right after Christmas is over. I sent Anna back for the spring semester with a bag to open on February 14. I love that she waits all of those weeks even though no one would know that she opened it as soon as we dropped her off in January. And I wrapped up Abigail's things the night before and set the table with as much pink as I could find. 

Dark, and oh so cold on Friday, February 14th. This is basically the way our kitchen looks after I come down in the morning. But that bit of pink and tissue paper had me all excited that I took the time to find a few things for sweet Abigail. 

We decided it would be a better idea to open in the afternoon maybe during dinner since we had to get going but she did let me snap a cute picture of her in her hearts sweater. 

So after coming home I was glad we waited since the light was so much better!

Abigail had a viola lesson and it gave me a chance to get ready for our evening. I so wanted to shower, get in pjs, and go to sleep (holidays as a teacher will do that to you) but I had another 'little' girl waiting for me in another state that evening so up we went! 

And boy was I glad we did! Anna played in the pit/orchestra for a college musical and it was the last weekend. I was so proud of her for that! And we were so excited about seeing it! 

During intermission we were able to get a peek into the pit! 

And after we hung out in her dorm room for a bit (even though it was like 11pm at least) before heading home! A long but happy week! 

Valentine's Day

Boy have they changed over the years! 

I remember like it was yesterday, being in the 'thick of it' with homemade cards for school parties, pink heart dresses, and little girls that just loved the feeling of Valentine's Day. 

Wow... I just dropped a whole lotta photos but there's a whole bunch of love there too! I'm so grateful for those memories... every single one of them (and so grateful for all of those pictures to remember that love!) 

This year Anna is in her own 'thick of it' as a study abroad student in Beijing, China. We mailed a package over a month ago and it just didn't get there in time -- that's okay, she's 20 now and I'm sure can feel that love from us with out that box of love we sent her. 

 

We had our own little Valentine's Day 'party' at home just the three of us (missing Anna). Since we had a snowstorm and no school on February 13th I decided we'd enjoy it a bunch more since we were all home. And I had the time to set it all up the way I wanted and bake bake bake a new recipe I'd been wanting to try. (amazing) 

So here is a peek at our Valentine's Day here in snowy Connecticut: 

And here is a peek back at some of my favorite posts here on this blog

Love Day

Love the Family Photos in this one

Start to finish, I remember this delightful one 

Heart pancakes, that kissing picture, all of it! 

They wore a corsage to church 

The dresses, the Valentine boxes, the cards, the joy... it's all good. But each year it was just a day. What I know they remember is the love all year long, day in and day out. The serving, the tucking into bed, the baths, the billion meals, the playtime, the no tech time, the patience, the praying mama leaning into God's grace to mother well... they don't need to remember those things, they were the air they breathed, and it has shaped who they are today. 

Happy Valentine's Day my precious little family. I am so very blessed to be your mama. You are joy and I love you so much!