2.19.21 Valentine's Day

Each year we have our traditional chicken cordon bleu for Valentine's Day. We postponed our feast one day because of visiting family. Thus, we had a prolonged party weekend. This year I prepared the food after a long day of miscellaneous other tasks. I was tired but trying to make the tradition happen. This is a table full of those I love most. 

These same people are loud, demanding and anything but romantic. The night was very noisey and full of wants. Greg and I looked at each other between sporadic bites and shrugged. We chose and created this for better or worse this is our reality. 

Some don't love the meal as much as others. They got help so they could enjoy the special treat uncle Kevin provided. 

Chocolate covered strawberries in three kinds of chocolate. The dark was divine!

These sweet treats are a once a year delicacy provided by my brother's generous family. We loved them. 

Afton also made her dad a coconut cream pie.  

She allowed Bruce a small taste too. 

A sister shared her valentine challenge supplies with us. After wondering what to do with them I realized family also counts as service. I spent some time writing Valentines. It's good for a mom to write her feelings about her children. Good for the kids to read positivity about themselves, and good for the  mom to count the goodness of her children. 

And football season has begun in one of the most unique seasons ever. The first practice involved rolling snowballs, in an effort to condition bodies and remove the snow from the football field. Thus there was a huge snowball fight. The boys practiced in snow boots and anything else they could find. Because  perfect paperwork is the password for anything public these days they could not count this as a full practice. John took Harold's number from last year, thus Harold has a new number. He was sharing the process with Merle man. 

The next day the boys practiced in snow boots again while waiting for the paperwork to pass muster. 
 It's interesting that the weather had been mild and clear all winter but this week we received more than 8 inches of snow. We are due for more snow tomorrow. The boys will continue to adapt and enjoy the physicality of football and the reassurance of team competition. Life is good. Each kid continues to have new experiences and is working through their own developmental processes and struggles. Growing-up is not easy and doesn't finish in a standard timeline. I work to understand and help each kid in my home as their needs change.  Life is good.