Sharing the Love

I've thought a lot about how I want Valentine's Day to look in our house.  Will and I go out on dates regularly and although I love a nice bouquet of flowers, I love them even more when the price isn't jacked up for Valentine's Day. So....we don't celebrate the day as a big love fest for our spouse.  I did get him a card, but only because it was free.  Who can pass up free?

Its easy to become cynical, bitter, sad, etc on holidays.  Its easy to compare.  Its easy to become selfish.  I want to teach my kids to take the spotlight off themselves and look for ways to bless others.  Since Valentine's Day is a day of love, we found ways to show love to others.  I read this a few months back and couldn't wait to do it with our girls.

We started by making muffins for our mail carrier.  She came early and we missed her, so we hunted her down in the neighborhood.  We left them on her car and spotted her later down the street.  We told her they were from us so she wouldn't be afraid to eat them.

Next, we took the remaining muffins to the librarians, before checking out a pile of Fancy Nancy books.

Some local firefighters were the recipients of our box of cookies.  The firemen were so kind and we got a tour of the firestation.  I was disappointed to see no fire pole.  I didn't say that out loud, though.

Aldi was our next stop.  We filled several carts with quarters.  In case you don't know, at Aldi, you have to pay a quarter to take a shopping cart and you get it back when you're done.  I am always THRILLED when I get to keep my quarter!

The girls each picked a car to leave a flower on.  We included a valentine that explained it was just an act of kindness.  Will didn't want people to think they had a secret admirer. 

As we were leaving, one of the cars was driving away and turned around and came back.  A man got out of the car and asked if we were the ones who were doing kind things.  We told him yes.  He gave us all hugs and told the girls how special it was.  He really went on, and on about how happy it made him.  He said he was going to take it home and give it to his wife - it would make her happy, too!  Now, I wasn't looking for praise for my children, but this really worked out perfectly.  Because this happened early on, it was easy for them to imagine how others might feel when they find their surprises!

Next we hit Walmart.  They picked four more cars to place flowers on and then we headed inside.  Now, I don't know about your kids, but every time they see a gumball machine, they ask if they can have one.  First of all, I never have quarters, and second of all, I'd say no anyway.  So, we taped quarters to gumball machines at both ends of the building.  My act of kindness was actually letting each of them get a gumball, too.

We headed home and had a fancy dinner of soup and lunchables.  They got lunchables  because I actually made the soup way too spicy for them to eat.  They did drink out of fancy cups in candlelight.

I think this will be our new Valentine's Day tradition.  The kindness, not the Lunchables.