I *heart* you

Previous years have seen me scrambling at 10:30 the night before whatever Valentine festivities were to be taking place at school trying to throw together a last minute piece of paper vaguely resembling a Valentine, usually a square of pink paper with a heart drawn on and maybe a piece of candy taped on if it was a good year.

I have a Masters in Classical Procrastination Studies and have been known to call upon those finely honed skills with great frequency. But not this year! We are Cupid-ready, having spent the better part of yesterday addressing and candy-ing up little cards for two classrooms, two art teachers, two music teachers, two PE teachers, one principal, two asst. principals, and one crossing guard. We even managed a special Valentine mailbox which Big E believes will win one of several categories, probably Most Original. I don't know about that since we hardly invented the fine art of decoupage. If I'd had more gumption I'd have papiér machéd a heart-shaped receptacle, but that would have required more initiative than I could spare.


The sad thing is that we're ready but neither of the kids will be taking part in their class parties since we'll be heading off to ski in New Mexico. As excited as they are about skiing with their friends they are both very sad to miss out on their class parties. I remember missing my fourth grade Valentine's party because I had to have a root canal. It hardly compares, but here I am, almost thirty years later and I vividly REMEMBER the pain and angst I felt from missing that party. I'm pretty sure it wasn't just the root canal.