Happy Love Day

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18

My husband and I don't really celebrate the whole Valentine's' Day thing.  Some years I will go out on February 15 and buy up a whole bunch of half price candy and chocolate and even a few orchids if it is a weekend or if I happen to be at the store anyways, but we've never bought into the whole spend a bunch of money because the calendar says you need to thing.

I'm more about show your appreciation for someone every day.  Today, he's working on the taxes so the kids can apply for financial aide for college.  That's love.  It always takes him hours to get them done, mostly because he has to dig through the boxes of receipts and papers he's saved all year to make sure he has everything he needs.  Then, he shows his love by doing the taxes of our three kids who should probably be doing their own taxes by now.  I mean, at what age did you start doing your own taxes?  18?  20?  25?  Yep, that's love, or maybe enabling :)  He figures that while he's at it and being tortured, he might as well fill them out for everyone.

This quilt was a special request for a student who hasn't been in school since November.  She has anxiety and other mental health issues and is really having a hard time.  I wish the mental health system was better in this country.  We try to hide mental health issues and pretend they aren't real medical problems.  If a student had cancer, everyone would talk about it and ask what they could do to help.  There would be fundraisers and donations and people would make cards.  But with mental health, people just want the person who is suffering to go away.  They are weird and scary and nobody wants to deal with the problem.  
I hope this quilt shows my student she is loved and missed.

I hope someone showed you love today and that you had the chance to show love to others as well.  If not, you could always go to the local animal shelter and adopt a pet.  Unconditional love is waiting for you.  As I type, I have one furry friend on my right and one on my left.  They have been keeping me company all day.  I spent about 2 hours grading papers this morning and they were right by my side, and at my feet, keeping me warm and company.  Hoping I would stop and give them a scratch or throw the toy for them.

I still wonder why this guy's owner never came looking for him.  He's just the best dog ever.  So full of energy and fun and always ready to chase a toy or play, but just as happy to curl up in a ball and sleep at your feet.