Excerpts from Valentine's Day 2012

It's Valentine's Day! Little Miss just asked me, after a full day at school handing out paper valentines and receiving a bag of goodies, what it was all about.

"Well, it's a day to show those people you love how much you love them.  I usually make daddy a nice supper (there was a roast in the slow cooker), daddy always buys me a gift (already handed over), and you hand out paper valentines to your friends!"

"And we give you stuff?" she says hopping off her chair.

"Well, I think maybe you've made something in class for me?"

"Nope, I don't think so," as she's leaving the room.

"Maybe you lost it?" But she was gone...off onto another topic, another mission.

Hmmm.

*****

How did I get my Valentine's gift early this year?  Well, let me tell you.  Getting my kids ready for school this morning, I could not find the one decorated cookie I had set aside for my little man's teacher.  Mr. had left for work hours before, and I suddenly had this vision of him enjoying the cookie while watching a late night DVD.  I was fuming!  I left a VERY deep breathing, growly message on his voicemail demanding to know what had happened, and hung up sharply.

The kids quickly raced to do something useful as I ranted and paced throughout the house thinking of ways to make him pay, when the phone rang.

"I'll be there in half an hour." he says. (That's how far a drive it is from work.)

"There's nothing you can do about it now!!" I shout, thinking, what're you going to do, bake more?

"I have it here with me." He explains, and I suddenly breath.  So he took liberties but did not totally destroy my gift.  He saved himself a lot of pain, and I think he was glad for the half-hour he had for me to calm down.

I turn to my son and said, "Nobody wrecks mommy's surprises."

Within the half-hour, Mr. swoops in, beaming his best smile, hands over the merchandise and pulls out my Valentine's gift.  I give a little growl, but he has saved himself.

*****

As I drop off my son at his school, I tuck the little wrapped cookie into the front pocket of his winter coat.  "Now don't go and break this after all we've gone through to get it."  He heads to the door, watching his pocket the whole time, holding his hands gently around it.  Protecting it.  Holy crap, he is so sweet.

Or so afraid.

My anger has dissipated.  I sigh.  I seriously need to relax.  It's Valentine's day, for pete's sake, a day for love.

Maybe I'll look again in Little Miss's backpack for a craft for Mommy...