Spring Fever

Happy Valentines Day

““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”” - John 13:34-35

Valentines day means many different things to many different people.  Some people LIVE for this day.  Completely filled with the need and the desire for the flowers, balloons, cards, fancy dinner, and everything else that can be marketed.   I have some single friends that dress in black and protest this day to the fullest.  Who says that Valentines day is only for couples?  Who says that Valentines day is only for lovers?  


This morning I came across the verse shown above and thought - Valentines Day is about love.  We are commanded to love each other.  Yes, some people are easier to love then others, but still we are told to love.  Now there is a little word with a HEAVY meaning.  L-O-V-E.  It's one of those words that people say lightly.  It gets abused.  People toss it around and apply it to so many things, that it begins to loose it's intensity.  I love my husband. *smile* I love caramel brule' latte.  Is that the same kind of love?  Maybe sometimes...kidding.  Now don't think I am going to go all deep with this concept.  I've had too much caffeine and a huge pile of laundry waiting for me.  


Of course the word 'love' can have many meanings - but to sum it all up I prefer the word as a verb:  to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for.


I love sunshine.  I love the sound of my children laughing.  I love the smell of my man after his shower.  I love the taste of my caramel brule' late right now.


Today I am thinking about my friends.  I have posted before about the value of friendship.  True friendship.  The word friend is another one of those words that gets tossed about.  Last week a friend of mine (we'll call her Sally) was, in my opinion, abused by one of her 'friends'.  Now I would argue that this woman is clearly not a friend to Sally.  If we follow the rule that 'friendship should be easy', then this friend gets a FAIL.  Sally left her friend feeling hurt, frustrated, angry, disrespected, confused, and betrayed.  Not cool.  I was hurt for my friend.  When she called me I could hear the hurt in her voice - so I did what I thought a friend should do.  I went to her house and listened.  I helped her with a bottle of wine.  I tossed aside my evening, my plans, to be a friend.  I treasure my friendship with her.  Hopefully she left that evening feeling loved and cared for.


In a time where we are all in such a hurry.  A time that is filled with competition,  deadlines, and what we "should" be doing", are we loosing sight of what is important?  Friendship. Love. Loving friends, and loving your friends.  


Today is about LOVE.  Be sure to tell your friends you love them.  I'm going to do that now...

9 is Cool

It finally happened.  D2 is officially 9 years old.  She is 9 years full of amazement!

13 February 2002 at 11:20 am, D2 zoomed her way into the world and into our hearts.  My pregnancy with her was completely unexpected.  After all, D1 was about 6 months old.  It was Husbands first fathers day when I said to him... "honey, we're pregnant...again".  Wow.  Nothing says happy fathers day like that!  From conception D2 was on the go.  I never wondered if she was okay in the womb.  She was always kicking, stretching, and I am pretty sure she was getting her groove on dancing away.  Is it any wonder she came early?  I didn't need one reminder that no two children were the same because nothing was the same between she and her big sister.  D1 is calm and relaxed... D2 is on fire and ready to take on ... everything!

Years of keeping us guessing.  So silly, full of life, and interesting perspectives.  She keeps us on our toes.  We used to joke when she was little that she was filled with many CEO qualities.  Her need for order, her amazing ability to remember things, her individual thinking, her tenacity, and her genuineness are all things that make her so lovable.

Although my heart is sometimes heavy where she is concerned, she is one of the people in my life that can make me smile like no other.  Her belly laughs are infectious.  And she can snuggle like none other.  

D2 is so smart, so smart that we sometimes forget that she is still a little girl.  With the discovery of Aspergers and learning how it applies to D2's daily functioning, we try to remember to have fun.  It's so easy to become burdened with trying to have all the answers and figure out the right things to do and say.  The hard thing - the hard thing is to remember to just let go and have fun.  Where ever she is, to drop everything and meet her where she is.  Every moment is a new moment.  One moment may be full of tears, the next will be filled with hugs and kisses.  We constantly have to remember to keep hitting our "refresh" button on our screen of emotions.  Husband is convinced that the reason God makes children sleep so much is so we can look at them in a sweet innocent state and fall in love with them all over again.  

D2 in a word is delightful.  To list her every quality would cause the music playing on this blog to loop over and over.  So just know that if you were to meet D2, you would never forget her.  And for those who have taken the time to get to know her - she will forever be in your heart.  In an place all her own, in a way different from any one else.  

D2, you are my delight and I love you with my every breath.