All you need is love... love... love is all you need

With all of the snow days that we have had, February began without me really even thinking about it.  Our first day of school here in this month was just on Tuesday...  Which left me in shell-shock because that meant I had to get mentally prepared for a Valentine's Day party just a few days into returning to school.

Let me explain for all of you non-teachers out there... Some teachers love parties. Some don't.

I fall into the LOVE category, but I have to get my mind set for them.  I have to remind myself that there is going to be ciaos and that the perfect laid plans will ALWAYS go awry.

But not only do I have to mentally prepare myself for the party this year, but I have to mentally prepare myself for the fact that I'm single... with no prospects.

With all of preparation going on at the last minute, my children brought back to reality. (in the wonderful way that they do.)  They reminded me what this "love" holiday is all about...

Tonight, as they were getting ready for bed, they were talking in the bathroom while they were supposed to be brushing their teeth.

I went that direction to hurry them along.

I got stopped by Sam. "Mom, could I have $2.00?"

"What for?" I inquired.  (You see, the 4th graders are selling "valentines" for $2.00 that come in the form of a soda and a candy bar and I had already doled out money earlier in the week for them to pick 2 friends to send them to.)

"So I can send someone a valentine."  

I began to protest, but Sam continued.  "There is a boy in my class that I know that is already getting four valentine treats... FOUR! Who needs four, mom?!  But there is another boy in my class and I know he won't get any.  He doesn't have much money and I know his parents won't send him one like you are sending us one... I just... I just don't want him not to get one when someone else is getting four..."

Colby then came up behind Sam and said, "Sam asked me what he should do about it... I told him the only right thing to do was to send him one... even though we already sent our two."

 Then Sam sheepishly looked at me and said, "Mom?  Do you think I could take a Valentine box to him too?  I doubt he'll have one of those... and he hasn't been able to take his art project home yet because he doesn't have a good box to put it in."

"Sure... I'll see what I can do."

I did my best to fight back the tears as I located $2.00, a Valentine's day box that I had planned to send cookies in (a paper plate will do), and a sturdy little box that won't let a ceramic dog get crushed on its way home...
I have received the BEST Valentine's day gift...My boys have empathy... and the core of empathy is love.