My Sweet Madelyn,
Today was your first Valentine's Day! I have always loved February 14. I have always enjoyed doing the crafty things that go along with it like getting to decorate a shoe box when I was little (and secretly I wish this is something that adults still did) for all of my friends to put little cartoon covered valentines in. My box was always the cutest thanks to your creative Grandma (and I mean that in the most humble way of course). I also looked forward to baking cute little cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles and heart shaped cookies for our friends and teachers. Your Grandma and Grandpa would write us special cards and give us a fun little gift in the morning before we went to school. There was always so much about this day that I had to look forward to. Not really the love stuff...more the crafty heart filled stuff.
When I met your Daddy, Valentine's Day was special in a whole new way. It was special in the mushy teenage "I think I'm in love but don't really know what love is" kind of way. When Valentine's Day rolled around the first year that we were together, I was so excited. I think I went to bed the night before dreaming of the dozens of roses, huge box of chocolates and lovey-dovey overpriced card that would be waiting for me the next day at school. Even though I told him not to get me anything, as a senior in high school he already knew that in girl world that was code for "don't get me anything if you want me to be disappointed and cry all day". Considering we had only been together for 6 months (and that your Daddy only worked part time in the afternoons), my dreams of dozens of roses were a little unrealistic. I don't remember exactly what he gave me that day. I am not sure of the details of the date he took me on that night. I do, however, remember a little note that he passed me in class. It had a picture of a stick figure boy holding a stick figure girl's hand. Underneath it had the verse Proverbs 17:17 written out. "A friend loves at all times." It was our verse. It had been since our sophomore year. It was the best gift he could have given me. A reminder to me that more than our teeny bopper romance, we were friends whose common bond was our relationship with Christ. About an hour later we were standing outside (your Daddy in his usual shorts and flip flops) watching the snow fall that came with the unexpected winter storm. It was such a fun day. Much better than the silly day that I had planned out in my head the night before.
Every year, your Daddy has done something sweet to let me know how much he loves me. Sometimes it's flowers. Others it's a date night. This year, he did the same for you. When we emerged from the bedroom after he had already left for church there were two cards on the kitchen counter. One for me...
and one for you...
I opened yours up and read it to you...
I am so blessed to have a husband as loving as your Daddy. You are so blessed to have a father as loving as your Daddy. The best part about how blessed we are...although Valentine's Day is a fun holiday to celebrate with everyone that you care about...is that we have someone in our lives that tells us that he loves us every day. He shows us with his actions. He writes us notes to remind us. He buys us little gifts just because. He leaves us reminders of Christ's love for us with scripture. He doesn't store up all his love all year only to show it on one day. His love for us is genuine. Although imperfect, it is the closest thing here on earth that you will experience to Christ's love for you. That is something special.
Today as I was thinking about how far your Daddy and I have come as a couple, I was thinking back to that first Valentine's Day. Almost at the same time I was thinking about how guilty I felt that I did not get you a Valentine's Day card or gift. Then I realized something. The greatest gift that we could give you isn't something tangible. The greatest gift that your Daddy and I could give you is the very thing that he reminded me of 7 years ago..."A friend loves at all times". More than all the things we will provide for you, the most important thing will be our love that is rooted in our common bond in Christ.
I hope that as you grow, we are mindful that your eyes are watching. Looking for evidence of the love we speak of through the way we interact with each other.
Although every relationship has seasons that may not be as blissfully happy as others, I pray that you always know that we are committed to each other. Our love for each other is not the kind that is only celebrated once a year. It's celebrated daily. It's real. It is rooted in our relationships with our Heavenly Father and that is what provides it's strength and makes it so special.
Because of our love for one another, we are able to share that with you. It's the greatest gift we have to offer you. Mommy loves Daddy. Daddy loves Mommy. Mommy and Daddy love you.
Happy Valentine's Day, little one.
Love,
Mommy
Today was your first Valentine's Day! I have always loved February 14. I have always enjoyed doing the crafty things that go along with it like getting to decorate a shoe box when I was little (and secretly I wish this is something that adults still did) for all of my friends to put little cartoon covered valentines in. My box was always the cutest thanks to your creative Grandma (and I mean that in the most humble way of course). I also looked forward to baking cute little cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles and heart shaped cookies for our friends and teachers. Your Grandma and Grandpa would write us special cards and give us a fun little gift in the morning before we went to school. There was always so much about this day that I had to look forward to. Not really the love stuff...more the crafty heart filled stuff.
When I met your Daddy, Valentine's Day was special in a whole new way. It was special in the mushy teenage "I think I'm in love but don't really know what love is" kind of way. When Valentine's Day rolled around the first year that we were together, I was so excited. I think I went to bed the night before dreaming of the dozens of roses, huge box of chocolates and lovey-dovey overpriced card that would be waiting for me the next day at school. Even though I told him not to get me anything, as a senior in high school he already knew that in girl world that was code for "don't get me anything if you want me to be disappointed and cry all day". Considering we had only been together for 6 months (and that your Daddy only worked part time in the afternoons), my dreams of dozens of roses were a little unrealistic. I don't remember exactly what he gave me that day. I am not sure of the details of the date he took me on that night. I do, however, remember a little note that he passed me in class. It had a picture of a stick figure boy holding a stick figure girl's hand. Underneath it had the verse Proverbs 17:17 written out. "A friend loves at all times." It was our verse. It had been since our sophomore year. It was the best gift he could have given me. A reminder to me that more than our teeny bopper romance, we were friends whose common bond was our relationship with Christ. About an hour later we were standing outside (your Daddy in his usual shorts and flip flops) watching the snow fall that came with the unexpected winter storm. It was such a fun day. Much better than the silly day that I had planned out in my head the night before.
Every year, your Daddy has done something sweet to let me know how much he loves me. Sometimes it's flowers. Others it's a date night. This year, he did the same for you. When we emerged from the bedroom after he had already left for church there were two cards on the kitchen counter. One for me...
and one for you...
I opened yours up and read it to you...
I am so blessed to have a husband as loving as your Daddy. You are so blessed to have a father as loving as your Daddy. The best part about how blessed we are...although Valentine's Day is a fun holiday to celebrate with everyone that you care about...is that we have someone in our lives that tells us that he loves us every day. He shows us with his actions. He writes us notes to remind us. He buys us little gifts just because. He leaves us reminders of Christ's love for us with scripture. He doesn't store up all his love all year only to show it on one day. His love for us is genuine. Although imperfect, it is the closest thing here on earth that you will experience to Christ's love for you. That is something special.Today as I was thinking about how far your Daddy and I have come as a couple, I was thinking back to that first Valentine's Day. Almost at the same time I was thinking about how guilty I felt that I did not get you a Valentine's Day card or gift. Then I realized something. The greatest gift that we could give you isn't something tangible. The greatest gift that your Daddy and I could give you is the very thing that he reminded me of 7 years ago..."A friend loves at all times". More than all the things we will provide for you, the most important thing will be our love that is rooted in our common bond in Christ.
I hope that as you grow, we are mindful that your eyes are watching. Looking for evidence of the love we speak of through the way we interact with each other.
Although every relationship has seasons that may not be as blissfully happy as others, I pray that you always know that we are committed to each other. Our love for each other is not the kind that is only celebrated once a year. It's celebrated daily. It's real. It is rooted in our relationships with our Heavenly Father and that is what provides it's strength and makes it so special.
Because of our love for one another, we are able to share that with you. It's the greatest gift we have to offer you. Mommy loves Daddy. Daddy loves Mommy. Mommy and Daddy love you.
Happy Valentine's Day, little one. Love,
Mommy
What better way to know the depth of your love: your children.
ReplyDeleteLove to you 3,
Mom