A Day for Love

Happy Valentine's Day!  An over-commercialized event reminding us to tell our loved ones they are loved.  Or just another Monday.

Chris and I are pretty much over this day.  We used to celebrate on the Saturday following the 14th because that was the weekend we got engaged.  But a trillion years and just about as many babies have made that less of a priority.  Who needs a day when we have everyday to show our love. 

Valentine's Day is about our love as a family.  I always wanted a family.  I never pictured my life any other way than a bunch of kids running around and a husband who worked hard to keep our family afloat.  What I couldn't imagine is the overwhelming, gut-wrenching, undying, unconditional love I have for each one of them.  And this day is just a pause to scoop them up and love them some more.

The kids exchanged Valentine's cards at school. They came home and rehashed the messages and ate every single piece of candy off of every single card.  Alex even had a 7th grade girl call him to wish him a happy Valentine's day.  (This could be trouble in the future, but today, at 6, we gonna call it "cute").  Once Chris got home from work, he swept the big kids off to basketball practice while Eva and I went to work on our special dinner for our family. 

On the menu: Crab Legs, Tutte Marre, Italian Salad and Turtle Cheesecake.  The kids love, love, love crab legs.  And so do we.  But we'd go broke if this became a staple meal at our house.  I mean each kid can eat as many legs as I can.  They are expert "crab leg cracker" and have as much fun digging the meat out as they do drenching it in butter and sucking it down.  Thus, crab legs have been reserved for the "special occasion" moments.

Chris had gotten each of us a little present and we all exchanged cards.  By the time we finished up our Valentine's dinner, it was close to ten o'clock.  And the kids were ready to snuggle in bed with their new jammies, blankets and pillows (Thanks, daddy! Great idea)!

And now, it's time for us to snuggle into bed as well.

(P.S.  A very special Happy Birthday wish to my beautiful, god-daughter!  On this day of "love" know that I love you so much! Hugs!)