Valentine's Day!

   I personally love the idea of family traditions. Having certain activities that you, as a family, can count on is so cool! They can be big or small - but no matter their size I think that they offer a bit of a "richness" to family life. As a child we didn't have too many family traditions (that I can think of) but we did have some. One of my favorites (that is still going on today) is the yearly family camping trip on Labour Day Weekend with my family. Its not even a question of "is it going to happen?"...its more of a question of "where?". Every year we know that for at least three wonderful days my family is going to be setting up camp, beaching, playing games, sitting around the fire, listening to a sermon on Sunday around a morning campfire, making s'mores, and just enjoying the love of family. Its something that we look forward to and it has provided many wonderful memories over the years. A slightly smaller tradition (but just as fondly remembered) is the Valentine's Day Heart Cake that my Mom would make every year. We were not typically a big cake family - but every year, on Valentine's Day, my mom made this delicious cake with "to-die-for" icing. My mom would make the cake and we would decorate with smarties. It was a fun activity and a tasty Valentine's Day treat. 

   Now that we have started our own family, hubby and I have discussed some ideas for our own family traditions. We haven't started our own camping weekend but we have started some smaller traditions which I love! This year, for Valentine's Day, I decided to "take-over" the heart cake tradition from my mom and start it with my little family. Pj had so much fun helping to bake the cake (i.e. lick the beaters), make the icing (i.e. lick the spatula) and decorate the cake with smarties (this she actually did...although she was careful to make sure her fingers dipped into the icing every chance she got in order to lick her fingers! No worries, sanitized wipes were used!). It was fun watching her enjoy this activity and so exciting watching her tell Mark all about it when he got home from helping his brother plow snow. 

   We also bought her a little mailbox (which I hope to use more regularly to pass her treats and love notes) which we loaded up with some Valentine's Day love (a new animal toy (she is obsessed with giraffes lately), some chocolate, some new hair bows and a "hug me" cookie). When she came down from her quiet time she quickly noticed the overflowing mailbox at her spot on the table. She shyly asked me what it was and when I told her to check it out she very eagerly emptied it and "ooohed and ahhhed" over everything. It was so exciting to "share the love" with her! 

   I know a lot of people think that Valentine's Day is just a hyped up money grabbing holiday but I love it! I love the reminder to show those around me just how much they mean to me. Its fun to do things like this with the kiddos because it breaks up the "monotony" of the "normal" days. Don't get me wrong, I love our life and the "normal" days. But having a special day to look forward to, to plan for, and then to enjoy with my little family is so amazing! 

   After the kiddos were in bed, hubby and I had our own little Valentine's date. We ordered in some Mediterranean food, lit some candles and watched a movie. We also slow danced to one of my favorite songs (don't tell him that I shared that part;)!). It was such a nice evening just cuddling and chatting together. We definitely don't take enough time to just be together. Life gets so busy and, for some reason, the most important relationships are the ones that are the easiest to let slide. 

   The week leading up to this I was overcome with the meaning of a love far greater than I could ever possess for anyone. It struck me that God doesn't have one day where He makes an extra effort to show us He loves us. His love is all encompassing EVERY day. I was overwhelmed with the meaning of His love and I just wanted to let it spill over onto everything. I want to shout it from the rooftop! God loves us so much that he sent His son to die for our sins! So that we can live...here and also in eternity. How amazing is that!? I can not adequately put what His love means to me into words. All I can say is WOW! I love that we were able to celebrate a day of love for those around us, but I love even more that every day is a celebration of a love so much greater. A love of forgiveness, a love of sacrifice, a love of selflessness, a love of salvation. How amazing is our God! 

   For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16