the day after valentine's day

 Really, if you think about it, the day after Valentine's Day is serious business.  (Unless you're Howie, in which case there does not exist such a thing as a serious business day.)

A serious Valentine sweater? Yes. Serious life? Not so much.
He's pouting because I made him wear his sweater...sigh.

Side note--I think it's pretty hilarious to put Howie in people clothes for a variety of reasons. First of all, sometimes I still can't believe I have a kind of a dog that people frequently clothe. Where I'm from, if a dog weighs less than about 50 pounds it isn't really considered a dog. Secondly, the first few moments after Howie dons an outfit are filled with priceless, unadulterated entertainment as he tries to walk while barely moving any of his limbs. Maybe I'm mean. Or just easily amused.

And he's up! Too tough to let a silly sweater get him down...

But let's be real...sweater or not, he's livin' the dream.

 

Anyways, the day after Valentine's Day is serious because ANYONE can celebrate love for one day out of the year. Celebrating it everyday (and sometimes straight up choosing it when you don't feel it at all) is where  the true test of love is.  (I'm gonna admit that P-Dubs has already had a lot of practice with this. I've had my fair share of pretty un-loveable moments in the past year or so and he is a real trooper.)

Yesterday morning, as I was getting my classroom ready for the day a segment came on the Today show about love letters. Now, I'm not a huge romantic or a really mushy person. I don't know the day that Paul and I started dating. And, at our wedding, I was signaling to the DJ that our first dance had gone on quite long enough. That's just way too much time for people to be focused on you and all your whispering sweet nothings, etc.  (I often wonder what newlyweds are whispering to each other during their first dance. P-dubs and I just kept commenting on how awkward it was. But, for the sake of our video that I have yet to watch, I really hope it looks like we were saying really meaningful, sweet things.) But I don't care if you are a romantic or not. I don't care if you are Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Whig, or Tory.  George and Barbara Bush are as cute as a bug's ear. And their discussion about their love letters  and how letter writing is a lost art, had me getting all pooly all alone in my classroom. Lame, I know. 

But it really convicted me. I can't remember the last time I took the time to write to tell P-dubs how I feel. So since I couldn't remember I turned to good ol' Facebook to help me out. (Ironic, since Facebook might just be the arch nemesis of the love letter.) And this is what I found.  That little "view friendship" button is actually useful. Huh. 

Devan McLean MinorP-dubs

So ...I bought you a card and wrote some pretty nice things in it. But I left it in my classroom. Maybe I'll save it for next year. And give it to you at Toast. ; )

February 14, 2009 at 12:48pm · 

I'm assuming I gave him that card last year because today I looked in my desk and didn't see it. But the sad part is...I didn't even write him anything this year. Not even a signature on a Hannah Montana holographic Valentine.  That is just wrong and lazy, if I'm completely honest. And, yikes, I just realized that was from two years ago so who knows about last year either. I know my grandmother treasures notes and cards that my papa wrote her when he was alive. And I'm pretty sure P-dubs saves any I write him. He better. Thus, my day-after-Valentine's-Day challenge to myself is to write him a love letter so that one day our grandkids can interview us on the Today show and read exactly how we felt on our first married Valentine's Day. (Ok. So we probably won't be all that much like the Bushes but they can at least read them when they come by for some homemade cookies. I'm assuming by then that I will do things like make homemade cookies.)

In second grade news...Valentine's Day is a big deal. I mean BIG. 

Just LOOK at all those heart-shaped lollipops.
Also, I received some Easter candy. I'm not sure if Easter candy is on sale really early or...

Update: I was just informed that I wrote P-dubs a lovely letter on our wedding day. Maybe I am a romantic after all. 

Happy day after Valentine's Day. Come on by for some chocolate.