This year marks mine and Lester's and 8th year as Valentine's [our 4th one married]! Where has the time gone? In reality when I look at where we were then and where we are now I am very happy with the results.

This year we knew Lester would be working the day of but we still wanted it to be special. So Addy and I spent the month getting ready. Of course, this involved quite a bit of fingerpainting, stickers, gluing and baths on her part-and alot of scissors and running after her with cleaning supplies on mine haha. But it ended up being a lot of fun! We also read alot of the Valentines books my Mom had picked up from the library and learned about the importance of showing our love for each other daily. You know-the corny, but still true kind of stuff. When the holiday finally came we sent Daddy to work with homemade red velvet cupcakes w cream cheese frosting to share and a specially made card. We gave our family members and a few friends Valentines and some goodies, and then had a fancy schmancy dinner with my family, and Grandma Chandler. We ended the night face timing with Daddy.

Then on Saturday Lester and I got to go out on a breakfast date and do some shopping. As usual, he spoiled us girls with Valentines gifts and we got to get him some manly presents. It was all good fun, and we appreciated my parents willingness to watch her-especially as we realize these date opportunities will be more far and between once this little on joins our cast.

I guess just in reflecting on love on a larger scale, I think about the years we've had so far and feel so overwhelmed with gratitude for all I've been given. Lester has always been such a thoughtful boyfriend-he would get me and all my family members little candy grams for Valentines when we were in high school, and randomly leave flowers on my doorstep. For prom he made sure to get all my sisters corsages when he came to get me, just because. Now that we are married, he is still a good example of teaching Addy how to laugh and not take yourself too seriously, but still being serious about showing the people you love how you feel. I am sure he would be embarrassed to know I am writing this, but this is for my memory and my kids as well, so he will just have to suffer. My parents too have always been a wonderful example of true, enduring love and friendship and I'm grateful for that.

People always say that we shouldn't wait for Valentines day to show others you love them. I agree with that-there is always someone out there to be loved and we should always be striving to find them. But I am still grateful for this day to make not just our carisposo's feel special, but everyone all the wonderful people in our lives. I hope you have felt the love, as I have this month. Love to you all.