A Change of Heart

I never used to be much of a fan of Valentine's Day. In fact for a long time I despised the holiday. Oh sure I've been dating and/or married for the last 15 years of my life, so its not for lack of having a companion that I didn't love the holiday. Rather, I think having a partner on Valentine's Day caused me to have an unhealthy expectation of what the day should mean or should be.

Sort of like New Year's Eve.  You know, there's this big expectation that New Year's Eve, like Valentine's Day, should be special and fabulous and one of the best days of the year, when really, it's just another day.

So you come to expect flowers.  And then when you get flowers, well they aren't the right flowers.

Or you want to go out to dinner, and in the beginning your gentleman doesn't make reservations.  So you drive around for hours with a steadily decreasing blood sugar level, and by the time you find a restaurant to take you in you are sobbing because you snapped at said gentleman and caused a fight.

So the next year, he makes reservations, but it wasn't at the right restaurant.  You wanted to try the hipster new restaurant on the other side of town. 

Gosh, this girl sure sounds like a spoiled brat, doesn't she?  That's what holidays like Valentine's Day do to some girls in their twenties.  And so after a few years, you both give up on celebrating and you quietly ignore the holiday for a while.

Then something magical happens.  You reach your thirties and you are a bit more mature, and a bit wiser. 

You're a mother now, and you realize that a carnation can melt your heart, and a glued together hodge-podge of a  preschool craft makes you smile and you proudly hang it on the fridge.

And forget going out to dinner.  Let the twenty somethings fight over a table.  You'll make filets at home and eat dinner together in peace after the kids go to bed.

 You hang pink and red hearts all over because your little girl loves the house to look festive.

And you realize that this Valentine's Day stuff ain't so bad.  In fact it's downright fun.  You're older now, and a bit wiser, and can appreciate the joy that simple little things like waxed paper hearts and red bows can bring.

Thank goodness. 

Happy Valentine's Day

(It's a little early, I know, but we're feeling in the mood around here)

Arts & Craft Projects from Top to Bottom:

Collage 1: Salt Dough Hearts (as made last year here), but the one Taylor is wearing is actually a gift from our friends the Gallaghers; Borax Crystal Hearts (recipe here)

Collage 2: Waxed Crayon Hearts originally found project here, but Shannen also made them here 

Collage 3: Valentine Book Wreath found here 

Collage 4: Heart Paper Garland tutorial here and glitter votives are just made by brushing glue on votive holder and rolling in Martha Stewart craft glitter. 

Collage 5: Well that's just my sweet girl, and I don't think you need a tutorial on how to make one of those ;)

I'm linking up to Heather's Life Made Lovely Monday