swoony

I am a straight-up sucker for Valentine's Day. I firmly hold this truth to be self-evident~the world would be a happier place if everyone would celebrate Valentine's day, every single ding dang day. What could be better than celebrating love and all of the people and things that we love?


Even though I love Halloween, I don't get it. I do get love.

I think it started back in the second grade when my Mom helped me make a Valentine's box out of an empty shoe box, some crepe paper, tissue flowers and glitter. I'm sure you can only imagine how it ruled the class. If only in my mind. If I had thought it all through, I would have saved it forevah. would have had it sealed. put in a time capsule. crafted a pretend suitor, too. In more recent years, I've taken to celebrating in different ways, but the point is, I still celebrate. It's a shocker, I know right, but still. I still celebrate. 


I give myself a backstage pass to Swoonville for the entire week month.

I talk about it with my peeps. I make way too many heartish messes.

I celebrate my love for each and every person, place and thing I can dream up. Adding to this year's excitement, there was a storm a-brewing last week-end with no plans to go anywhere. I did my pajama pants wearing thing~all week-end long. I made a pot of hippie health nut soup and my favorite challah bread. heart shaped cookies were also on the menu. and!!! I have been calling everyone honey or sweetie  all the live long month, and it has never be more timely.


February you've got my vote. Thanks to you, I'll be covered in glitter and hearts. Old Man Winter, I still think you've got some nerve doing this again, but lucky for you, I'll be too covered in frosting and sprinkles to pay you much mind this month. I'll even remember to show you this extra-special Valentine that was left for me on The Day.

Honey hub's got mad present hiding skillz.

And an odd sense of humor.

And maybe a wonky love-language.


 But I love it all. Just a side note, my ancestry is chock full of romantic-ness. And I admit to being an incurable romantic to my very core. There are no medications for it, so please don't slay me over it. To be honest, the holidays this year unexpectedly blasted upon me, without any warning whatsoever (rude). But Valentines Day is slow in getting here and I am savoring it. And when finally it does, it will cause me to lose the small amount of sanity I cling to. An entire day of love and expandable pants. So, this has kept me plotting, planning and anticipating abnormally. Maybe I shouldn't be so nervy about it, but that's my nature. God forbid I should go about this with a relaxed attitude. What would people think of me then?



A few days ago, I even drew a parallel with myself and cupid, but it escapes me now. Ironic, no? So, I guess maybe that's all I have to say about the fluff. I'm also thinking about real love.  I'm thankful for the moments when I see a beautiful piece of heaven through the way broken human beings love and care for one another.  I'm marveling at the glimpses I see of  the kind of love that gives it all up. of a mother's love. the life laid down to love with a love that is not of this world. The one who cares for their soul mate through a terminal illness, knowing life as they knew it is now gone. children now caring for parents. lives forever rearranged. missionaries who says good-bye to family, friends, comfort, and safety to love and serve a people they may never fully understand. military who love their country and fight for our freedom. parents loving hard children. children with issues. children with scars. people who's lives are shut down by loss. love.



Today I'm thinking on that love...a love that comes down and lays it all out, and how that love enables me to do the same.Today I want to write out cards to the people in my life who I see loving with a lay it all out kind of love.  I need them to know that I feel  the same. There are people I am honored to know who have given up the life they had always imagined (willingly or unexpectedly).  They have grieved a life they once knew and are daily counting their blessings and now know how to love in the hard places. I need them to know how much seeing their love makes my own love better. Heaven's love, on display through the lives of broken hearted, put back together, ever grateful people...that's a miracle and something I look forward to today....faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

(yes, I like to hide the heavy stuff between the fluff).

So that's it, for now.

Until next year.

Oh wait, I do have one more thing.
I have so much to be thankful for and have so much love in my life. and for this I am forever grateful. So either my memory is shot, or my mind is creating it's own romantic fish tales, but dude, those memories are still an inspiring place to be. In more timely news, this week, in honor of the big "V", I will be posting random celebratory meanderings about love and the like. They will be deep. Like, deeeeeep. You don't believe me? Well, just pray I do not decide to post one of the gut-wrenching sonnets that I wrote during my sophomore year of high school. those were deeeeep. so if you're in need of a day that will knock your socks off, this is your baby, baby. and remember, life really is swoony.

Even if  it's not perfect.

Even if.


OK. I'm done.

For real.


Happy Valentine's month.
peace (and love)


Well, this was indeed a pesky little problem. I initially decided to go off the reservation and try a new recipe for the "heart cookies" this year, I mean, I like to live on the edge over here. So, I baked these little babies from  the one-and-only saucy little minx - Ina Garten,, along with the ones I already trusted. Then, I wanted to top these suckers with a glaze~ that's right~ just plain old glaze. So I did. And, I liked it! and I was like all "oh...oh, yeah baby".  And this dang recipe was done.

Ina Garten shortbread hearts
(go here for recipe)


my favorite cookies
(go here for recipe)

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