Describe the most memorable Valentine that you ever received. Who sent it to you?

I'm not sure why but I have never really enjoyed Valentine's Day. It always seemed anti-climactic and it just seemed like a sad day instead of one that was full of fun and romantic love. My most memorable Valentines have been ones that I received from Katie and Maggie. Handmade ones that they created at school or with scrap papers - pink, red and white cut out hearts and their own handwriting across construction paper. They were always very genuine and real - filled with love and purpose - rather than a created or contrived "love" that felt like Hallmark created a day to sell cards and candy instead of a love that was real and genuine. Right after Melissa and I got married in January of 2004, we went to Mexico in the middle of February on a missions trip to Tijuana, Mexico. We spent a week at an orphanage there - Rancho de Sus Ninos - and helped build a new bunkhouse and storage area in an enormous barn. We had only been married for about 2 weeks and it was the most amazing Valentine's Day. We slept in separate buildings but we worked all day together and it was an amazing trip. The missionaries were not very nice but the experience was terrific. We worked hard during the day, sweated a ton and loved on the little kids. It was like our honeymoon time but we were with 15 other people...but we loved it and it was amazing. I think that it helped set up a real basis for our marriage and a "way of life" that we have always tried to live. We want people in our home and want to host parties with other people. Host home groups. Host Christmas. Have the cousins over for parties. Have Maggie's graduation party in the backyard. We did Rea's party at our house....we want people in our home and celebrate family and love. Personally - not a big fan of Valentine's Day. I don't like contrived ways to celebrate love. Not a fan.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Where was your childhood home located?

When I was born, my parents brought me home to 1148 South Benton Street. I have very little memory of this home except for the backyard and a brick bbq pit located in the backyard. I have a few memories of the basement and a few other things but not many real memories. I remember crawling around the backyard with a stick in my hands and my Dad pretending to be rabbit hunting with me....I had on a hooded sweatshirt and we were "army crawling" around the yard and were trying to sneak up on rabbits that were back there. I remember looking up at my Dad and seeing his black rimmed glasses right next to me and I can still feel his strong arm across my back as I held tightly to my stick (pretend gun!) and wait for the rabbits to jump out. I also remember that our basement had a cellar door access with steps that lead out to the backyard. I remember opening the door that led upstairs and seeing a snake laying on the floor of stairwell. Mom grabbed me and picked me up and w...
Read more

Did you ever get into fights with other kids?

I think that I only got into one fist fight as a kid. It was with Tom Stiegemeier and it happened behind Hudson's Chiropractic clinic off of Kingshighway. There was also a florist shop in the same building and I remember the empty flower boxes being in the alleyway. We were walking home from 7th grade and he said something mean about my Dad. I think he called him a "Pig" - which was a derogatory term for a policeman. I remember that I got so mad at him that I swung around and hit him square in the jaw and I felt like I broke my hand. I had never punched someone before and it scared me to death. I immediately started crying - I was just so upset and mad that I guess that I didn't know how to handle those emotions. Tom swung back at me and I avoid the punch but then he grabbed me and we started wrestling to the ground. I remember that I got my coat really dirty and I was scared that I would get into trouble because of my coat. I have absolutely no recollection...
Read more