Valentines

We don't usually do much to mark Valentine's Day at our house, but that may be changing.

Last week, Jo and I went to the grocery store to pick out her valentines (the daycare staff had sent the list of class names just the day before, and I didn't want to put it off and forget).  She was excited to pick out Dora valentines, but she also made it clear that they were for her, and she didn't want to give them away.  Since I was still fighting the flu, I decided not to try to fight the two-year old for the sake of $1.99 valentines, so we bought the Thomas the Train valentines to give away to her friends.

When we got home, we started "making the valentines":  Mom writing, Jo adding the appropriate stickers.  And there were only about eight for her daycare friends.  Out of about 60 valentines total.  So we started in on the family members.  And then we kept going with some friends from church.  And then she wanted to "make more valentines" (at which point, we were into the Dora valentines--that she had wanted to keep for herself).  In my flu-fogged brain, I couldn't think of who else to write them to, so I asked her who she wanted to give them to.  "My people!" she declared.  "And who are your people?"  "People at HyVee!"

So I promptly addressed a valentine to "People at HyVee," and then "Deli Lady at HyVee" (who always gives Jo a sample of cheese on Saturdays) and then "Jennifer from the bakery" and "Bakery Friends (since Jennifer is a particular friend of Mom and Dad's, but there are other lovely folk there, too).

And on Saturday, then, as we set out for our weekly errands, we brought along the valentines and delivered them as we went on our regular rounds to surprised grocery-store clerks and bakery staff.  And again on Sunday, when Jo got to give valentines to the organist, to Pastor Lori, to Kent and Luanne, and to some others at church.  She's still waiting to give the valentines to her friends, but there are only two valentines left unclaimed.  She said yesterday again that she wants to make more valentines, so perhaps we'll have to get a few boxes to spare and pass them out to strangers on the street.

Happy Valentine's Day.  Spread the love.