How much do you love me?

Happy Valentine’s Day! I love celebrating Valentine’s Day with my family. I use this day each year as an annual reminder to share with each person in my family how dear they are to me and the many things I love about them.

Something new for us this year is we are each planning to decorate a “love letter box” to hold our special love notes. This box will keep safe our precious love letters we exchange each Valentine’s Day. As the years pass, we’ll each have a place to visit where one lift of a latch will give us access to all the love that is available to us.

For those who are new to my newsletter – here’s an excerpt from my Valentine’s note last year:

Valentine’s Day seems to have lost its luster to most of us. It has become a day we buy a Hallmark card and shuffle through the checkout with flowers and chocolates in tow.

17 Sponge Bob valentines for his class,

21 kitten “You’re Purr-fect!” valentines for hers. Check.

The calendar gives us the date, and the commercials tell us what to buy….but what we choose to do with this holiday in our family is our responsibility. We can create it however we want!

Create a new Valentine’s tradition!

Think about beginning a tradition of writing love letters in your family each Valentine’s Day. Write a simple hand-written love note to each member of your family and have it waiting at the breakfast table Valentine’s morning. If your child is too young to read, write it anyway and read it aloud to them. Save the letters in a special place where your kids can visit them again in later years. Your kids will be delighted to receive that treasured love-filled envelope each year. And soon, you’ll start receiving one at your spot at the table also.

Our kids are lucky enough to hear “I love you” frequently, so take this opportunity to share something specific that you love about them.

“I love hearing you laugh”

“I love how generous you are with your friends”

“I love playing airplanes with you”

“You are my favorite Jenny on the planet – I’m so lucky to be your mom.”

It is these communications of love that we remember. Long after the flowers have wilted and chocolates have been eaten, these little gifts still exist….because they find a little spot inside our hearts and become a part of who we are.

With love, Bethany