Little Valentines

10 years ago, Phil and I legally started this journey we call marriage. It has been a cliffhanger to say the least! But I wouldn't trade it for the world. Some are lucky in fortune, some are lucky in metabolism, me-I am lucky in love. I have to work at the rest!

Our son is a sweet boy. He has always been. Thursday night, he quietly comes to me and asks if he can make a special Valentine for someone. Of course I say, that's the point of the holiday. He asks if he can put money in it- after all that is what he likes to receive in cards. SO I taught him the first lesson of Valentines Day- it has to come from the heart- you can't just throw money at it. Of course we could have thrown money at it a week ago when we were shopping for the class Valentines, but now it's 8 pm on Thursday- now we get creative. What about making a bracelet with Kiera's beads? He sits down, works on 3 different variations of cards for a little girl named Lizzy. It is 9 before we get to the beads- do you have any letter beads? he asks me. I look- yep- but only 1 z- is she an Elizabeth? 'yeah- but nobody calls her that'- how about Liz- 'yeah that will work.' Off we go. I am all about simpler the better- he starts picking out this and that and I reccommend picking 3 bead types and going with that- It's finally done- we package it up in an envelope. I suggest not giving it to her in front of his friends. Sometimes boys can be mean. Dad suggests putting it in her mailcontainer at school. Right on Dad. We gently remind him the next morning to be discreet. I really don't want the guys givin him a hard time.

I get the text from Phil on the way home from picking the kids up from school 'she didn't like it. had a friend tell him'. I didn't plan on THAT contingincy- how could she NOT like it? I forgot HOW mean girls can be. As a mom, my heart breaks for him. I wonder exactly what kind of trollop this Lizzy is. And then I have a reality check- they're 9. It's the prime age for learning the social convention of cruelty. When he's married, he'll remember little Lizzy who broke his heart in the 4th grade. It's a tough lesson, but he'll be Ok. We gave him Dr. Pepper and let him watch the Incredible Hulk with us. That and Phil gave him a bag of really good chocolate- I look at him with question- he shrugged-'What? You said you didn't want crappy chocolate- that's all I had. The kid looked like he could use some chocolate. Don't worry there's more. ' God I love that man!

Ironically enough- this was an email I received earlier that day........