Blessed.

After a week of hearing Madelyn ask if it was valen time, it finally was. I remember loving Valentine's Day when I was a kid. From the parent's perspective, it is still fun, but WAY more work. Good heck! The cupcakes, the goodies, the cards, the class parties... it's enough to make your head spin. Despite all of the hard work (or perhaps because of it) we had a seriously fun loooove day. I feel truly blessed to have four valentines to smooch on. :)

I've been thinking a lot lately about how important it is to be mindful of our blessings now... in the moment. It's easy to look back and see how blessed we were, but at the time we only saw the dishes to be washed and diapers to be changed. A little boy in Madelyn's class passed away. I keep thinking about his seat being empty when I take her to school again and about the little valentine we made for him-that all of the children made for him, but he will never see. I keep thinking about his mother. I ache for her. With her in mind, I cannot be angry when my children make messes and don't clean them up. I can't be frustrated when they forget to wash their hands or turn the TV up too loud. Each sticky kiss and delighted giggle lingers in my heart a little longer than before. I've let my kids have two cupcakes when I would normally only let them have one. I've taken them on walks that lasted a little longer and read them stories a little more slowly. I've held their perfect faces in my hands and looked into their beautiful eyes as I have said, "I love you with all of my heart" with all of my heart. May I never forget how blessed I am.