Lost Valentine

Okay, my sweetheart isn't lost, in fact, he's working right now. But I had to use the title because in spite of Valentine's day we are having the LOST party tonight. Or maybe it's to SPITE Valentine's day.

I love all things romantic, don't get me wrong. I'm a girlie girl when it comes to that. I love flowers; I love beautiful cards with more beautiful words in them; and I adore chocolate. BUT, I hate the expectation to do it on a certain day and how it makes people feel left out. Yuck!

Yesterday while I was waiting to pick up my teenage daughter, I saw girls walking out of the school building holding carnations.

I cringed.

Did my daughter feel alone today because no one gave her one? I suddenly had the urge to rush in and buy all the flowers to stop the madness. I spotted her walking towards me with her golden hair flipping in the wind and a red carnation in her hands.

Whew.

Ugh.

I hate this.

Today she took money to buy flowers for her friends who may not get one. Now THAT is a sweet heart.

For anyone that's feeling LOST on Valentine's day, come on over. We can eat heart-shaped pizzas together and laugh at stupid consumerism.

Warmth On A Cold Day

Remember when you were thirteen and your Mom was an idiot? Well, now I'm that Mom. And while I embrace my idiocy with open arms like paying for fast food with a baggy full of quarters or singing Disney songs at the top of my lungs in the house, car and perhaps it's even escaped my lips in a store or two; I still want to believe I'm a pretty cool Mom.

Now sure, being the Mother of a newly turned thirteen year old, definitely has its share of battle scars from wars fought over the normal (and sometimes not so normal) teenage struggles. But this morning as my daughter exited the car with fellow students swarming around her, she called out loudly, "I love you, Mom." The door slammed shut as she strolled off to the school building. And although it was crazy cold at 7:34a.m., I suddenly felt warm--and fuzzy.