Will You Be My Valentine?

Growing up, my dad always gave me (and my mom and my sister) a box of chocolates and a rose on Valentine's Day. (My mom had the bonus of a mushy card, and dinner out-)

Maybe because my Dad always made it special, I do love Valentines Day...but then again, I love LOVE. It is the emotion (I think-) that makes the world go around:

I always say, if anyone needs a "pick-me-up" or encouragement, they should teach first grade...especially on a holiday, because you feel so special.

I mean, like this year-

(My own boys come to visit me in my classroom on recess...i love that!)

On Valentine's this year,

I was given a super-soft stuffed bear (that smelled like chocolate). The little boy told me, "and I bought this with my own money!" 

I taught my little first grade friends how to make cut-out hearts, and a few of them were presented to me as gifts: 

I sometimes look at their cute, little hands while doing handwriting, and am overwhelmed with love for them. First graders are the sweetest little people ever.

They learn so much with me in a year! I love seeing their progress. They come in, barely able to write their own names legibly, then by mid-year, they are writers! I love it. And Valentines's day is another reminder...

Then, sometimes the unexpected happens on Valentines's: After chapel, a box of chocolates was sitting on my desk, from "Steven". I thought it was a spelling error, because,  I don't have a student in my class named Steven... Turned out, it was from a student from another classroom! (...who I have never taught!)

I was so touched by that, I walked to that boys room, and gave him a hug and said, "Thank you so very much! It was so thoughtful for you to think of me!" His quiet, sweet reply was,  " I got it from Meijer." 

Then, a mom of one of my students made me a blueberry muffin which I ate the next morning, on Valentine's Day, with coffee:

 

And another mom put together a blinged-out water bottle with a super-cute note. (!)

I also received countless hugs, little notes, pictures, paper Valentines, and I-Love-yous from my students on this day we celebrated as Valentine's Day. 

See what I mean? Everyone should teach first grade, it is just one of the happiest places I know. First grade is the best.

Then, it was Valentine's Day at my house. 

The Valentine's bags were ready and filled with candy and gum for all (Tin Man included-)my boys:

After returning from a friend's house, I was excited to walk into the house to find a few special things...because my boys know I love Valentines Day.

This is what I found:

A flower-bush (They have faith that I can keep it alive until I can plant it in the spring...here's hoping they are right!) that the boys picked out with (my favorite) home-made cards:

Roses, and a home-made picture...from my hubby

(God bless him, he sure tries to do his best artwork too!):

(They are not artists, but they all know what I love, and I treasure the home-made cards they make me!!!)

And reservations(for me and Tin Man-the boys gladly stayed home to play video games and movies while eating hot dogs, and candy from their Valentine bags...a perfect Valentine's by their standards)  to our favorite restaurant, What Crepe (New owners, new name: The Crepe):

And it was delicious as always:

Happy Valentine's Day...

(...who loves, because HE first loved me...)