Fourteen Days of Love

We’re on day twelve of our family’s latest celebration:  FOURTEEN DAYS OF LOVE. Thanks to my dear and creative friend Sherri, (check out her blog at http://pettiskirtsandmudpies.blogspot.com/ )I’ve finally found a way to stretch out one of my favorite holidays.

 I’ve always bemoaned the fact that Valentine’s Day is just a brief blip on the calendar. After all, how can we appropriately celebrate LOVE in just twenty-four hours? Love is the currency of motherhood, for goodness sakes!  It’s what compels me to drag myself out of bed in the middle of the night to cuddle the child who just had a bad dream. It’s what stirs me each morning after a brief spell of sleep when my sparkling-eyed baby is chanting my name in her crib at 5 A.M. It’s why I drive an “uncool” mini van, why I read Tractor Mac  fifteen times a day, why I “fine dine” at McDonald’s  instead of the Cheesecake Factory. It’s why I do loads and loads and loads of laundry, why I unload the dishwasher at midnight, why I stand on the sidelines of a soccer field in an October snowstorm. It’s why I hold barf buckets for sick children, why I hold little hands when we cross the street, and why I hold the promises of God in high esteem. Love is what a mommy does. And on a good day, love is what a mommy  receives; it’s the ultimate treasure in the bottom of the diaper pail.

So today, my five children will find a note on their pillow with a tissue-wrapped package of Dutch chocolate mints.  The note signed by me will simply state, “You were mint to be mine.. And I love you!” But the message behind the note- behind all twelve notes that have been left for my handful of blessings during our fourteen days of love- is this: YOU ARE WORTH CELEBRATING!  May that be the message that this mother’s love embeds on the hearts of my children each and every day. For that is a truth that will last long beyond my favorite holiday.

If you’re in the mood to begin your Valentine’s Day celebration a little early, choose one of these ideas from our fourteen days of love and start the party today!

1*A stick of gum with a note that says, I “CHEWS” you, Valentine!

2*A small superball with a note that says, I have a ball loving you!

3*A small notebook with a note that says, Take note of this:  I love you!

4*A new crayon box with a note that says, You color my world!

5*A helium balloon tied to your child’s bed with a note that says, Your love makes my heart soar!

6*A small puzzle with a note that says, You’re a special piece of our family! (I gave all 5 kids a few pieces of the same puzzle and we worked at assembling it together.. oh, yeah.. we ate Reese’s Pieces as we did! We believe every day needs a bit of chocolate!)

7*A yo-yo (think cheap- like a party favor package) with a note that proclaims, Whether you’re up or whether you’re down, I love YO-YO-YOU!

8*A sticker with a note that says, Stick with me; I’ll always be here for you!

9*A bath capsule that grows when you put it in water with a note that says, My love for you just keeps growing!

10*A book with a note that says, Read all about it: (Your child’s name)’s  Mom loves him MORE THAN WORDS can say!

11*An apple (we wrapped ours in caramel) with a note that says, You’re the apple of your mommy’s eye

12*A sundae cup or a spoon with an invitation to enjoy an ice cream sundae made by mom (think lots of yummy toppings here.. sprinkles, chocolate chips, m and ms, whipped cream, syrups, etc) with a note that says, Whether I whisper it or whether I-Scream- it, you are the treat in my day!

13*A coupon to play a board game with mom along with a note that says, I never get BORED with you! You’re the fun in my days!

14* A powdered donut hole (think snow ball!) with a note that says, I love you snow much! (We actually built edible snowmen by stacking three donut holes on top of each other, holding them in place with a toothpick and adding chocolate chip eyes stuck on with frosting!)

 Today’s Treasure:  Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.  -1 John 4:7