Love filled our air, how about yours?

Love filled our air,
...how about yours?

They worked like busy bees making this day very special for us

Valentine's Day is such a Hallmark seasonal occasion, a gigantic consumer money grab for the most part when prices are jacked up way too high and people spend way too much money, or at least that's what some folks might exclaim. Dare we admit - we actually like it.

In fact, this exact day has a history for my hubby and I. It is the day when St. Valentine and the flying Cupid attempted to strike both of our hearts while attending a Knights of Columbus Valentine's Day dance at our parish. Oh, but they had help. My hubby's sister played a part that night, oh yes she did....laugh.

Yes, that's right. We attended the same parish, but rarely did I see him, the big brother of a friend, because he was already working and that encompassed much out of town commuting included in the type of career he already had.

Yep....for years and years, we fussed up this day using our homemade heart crafted placemats and made a simple meal of spaghetti and tossed salad. We hardly seemed to eat this meal so the children used to think it was a special occasion each time we ate it. But the surprise of all surprises came when our oldest daughter begged her daddy to tell her the story of that particular (cupid) dance night when we were heart struck for one another. Obligingly he appeased her every year and predictably shortly afterwards she would break out clapping and giggling over it all. In her imagination her daddy became her knight in shining armor, the man who wooed over the challenge of obtaining his princess bride (well eventually) and that soon became a standing bedtime story once each year between her and her daddy as he cuddled and sat next to her bedside tucking her in.

This year with the hospital stay in progress, we weren't quite sure what my hubby would be up to after a long week of extensive physical and mental challenges experienced the week before.

The festivities began a day ahead with breakfast consisting of
heart -shaped pancakes on red winter themed plates.

Before we*could* plan anything at all, our oldest daughter commanded us into action by telling us we had to depart for the afternoon and not return until 5pm precisely. She and her cohorts (siblings) had plans and that was all we needed to know. "And don't you dare take my little sister into another room and beg her to divulge the details to you" ;she said.Off we went and little did we expect the actual events taking place at home while we were away.

My husband always insists on some type of
flowers for me but it doesn't HAVE to be this exact day.
St. Valentine hit us hard and for that we celebrate every day of the year. :-)

My hubby's likes to honor his girls too this day,
oldest daughter was also included

Entering the house we were greeted by the two youngest and they asked for our coats so they could hang them up. We were then escorted to our bedroom. Our bedroom we thought? Hmmm.... not quite what we had envisioned. I guess we had no idea what to think, maybe perhaps just a simple meal for everyone at the dining room table. Not so though, so not so!

As I've mentioned before, the biggest seller to us for this present home was having the master bedroom on the main floor for my husband to conserve his energies by not having to head up a nightly set of stairs. An office sits nearby and spoils of spoils, a fireplace graces the bedroom to keep him warm and cozy on days when his circulation doesn't co-operate with him and body chills require warming up.

Our bedroom was set up like a restaurant with a table, two chairs, several candles all aglow, fireplace ready to light, music filling the air, handmade poster on the bed frame, a menu for our dinner selections and soooo much more! Wowza! They really know how to surprise us!

Four servers entered and exited the room, acting as
waiters and waitresses at this fine dining establishment.

Each of the four children still living at home served a different course of the meal, complete with kitchen towel wrapped over one arm to serve the items onto the table. Love definitely filled the air as our restaurateurs served us and catered to our every need. From filling the water glasses, to a brim filled glass of bubbly grape juice, we celebrated this wonderful day in style.

Our menus on the tables indicated what we
would be served this day; so cute!

The meal was selected to suit our personal palettes and absolutely delicious. While we dined in the quiet ambiance filling our bedroom, the children ate pizza and drank root beer sodas in the kitchen. So funny!

Later in the evening, there were treats for all...

Well done our sweets. Well done! Thank you so much. What a memory you made for your parents this day.


And the story continued when our youngest daughter said;

"Daddy tell me about the Valentine's Dance where you and mommy started to like each other"....

The Prayer of St. Valentine

Dear Lord, who art high in the Heavens,

Giver of Love and Passion,

And He who strings the heart’s cords,

Lead the Lovers this day, February ten plus four.

The day during the month of two,

When the date is the perfect number of God

Greater two souls and two hearts.

Some Loves are fleeting ,

But that which is built on you will never fail.

So guide the Lovers to know what is to be.

Your truths the Lovers’ mouths should speak,

For Your truth is that which is honest to the heart.

Only this, then, should pass over the red lips of the Lovers.

Your art, the Lovers simply a medium.

It is only with True Hearts that You can create a Masterpiece,

So let the Lovers remember that their Soul’s Desire

Is the one for which You light their Fire.

And let it be You who creates the Art of the Lovers;

The art of two into one.

Amen.