Happy "Love" Day!!

Isn't that what Valentine's day is about??  LOVE???  Who doesn't like to be shown that they are loved every once in a while???  Well, our Valentine's day wasn't anything special!! We did make our homemade Valentine's for Emma & Evan's class at school!  I think they turned out pretty cute!!

Saturday morning, we got up and gave E&E their Valentine's present!!  Since we just took them to the circus several weeks ago and that wasn't cheap...that was their main Valentine's present.  I did of course get them a little something for that morning.  I got Emma a new Princess tumbler and Evan a new camouflage cup and they both got some Skittles.  They were more excited about the Skittles!!  We baked some red velvet cupcakes and delivered them to some of our favorite people Saturday morning.

I let Emma & Evan decorate them with sprinkles.  Our first few cupcakes were loaded down with sprinkles...but they got better after a little instructions from momma!! We took some by to Mrs. Lynn and her kids.  I just had her on my mind and knew that on her first Valentine's Day without Bobby, that she needed to know she was loved.  She wasn't home when we made our visit but from the text I got later in the day...I think she appreciated the gesture!!  We them delivered some cupcakes to MaMa & PaPa.  Of course my mom had a gift for them.  She gave them some new pj's and a puzzle book.  Emma & Evan are still playing with that puzzle book!!  They loved it.  While we were out delivering goodies...Justin was at home taking down our old pool.  That was a fun chore getting it drained and cleaned up!  A couple from 96 that we knew bought it from us. So, the old pool is gone and the deck has been demolished!  Most of the wood has been taken off.  One other guy wants to come tomorrow to get some of what is left.  After he gets what he wants...the rest is being hauled off and our yard will hopefully be cleaned back up.  This whole winter so far has been quite warm for winter.  We decide to get a pool and all of a sudden we have some of the coldest temperatures on record since like the 1900's and they are calling for snow twice next week!!  Good thing we have three full months before swimming time to hopefully get this thing built!!  Saturday night we had our monthly Sunday school social at the Calhoun's house.  They did a low country boil.  The gathering also served as a prayer time for five of our guys that are leaving for a mission trip soon. So, we had a good time fellowshipping...if that is a word...and praying for these guys as they go spread the word of Jesus to non-believers.  That is a true example of showing LOVE!!  When I think about the word love...my mind almost immediately goes to Emma & Evan.  I of course love Justin and my family and friends...but there is no greater love this side of heaven than the love a parent has for their child.  I of course don't always show that love to them...especially when I get frustrated with them...but at the same time this love pails in comparison to the love God has for us.  Each time I find myself frustrated with E&E...I try to remember how many times I have frustrated God and how he still loves me unconditionally.  That is so hard to comprehend that even when we mess up...He still loves us!!  We listen to His Radio at work everyday.  And since I am no longer up front nor do I take a lunch hour anymore...I always get to hear "Focus on the Family" from 2:00-2:30 each day.  The broadcast from yesterday was a GREAT one!!  If you have a chance to listen to is...I recommend you doing that.  It was talking about some of the greatest things parents can do for their child.  The number one thing was to create a loving safe home environment for your child.  Our children need to see us loving each other and no just saying we love each other.  Statistics show that most kids who come from an unstable environment are the ones who are itching to get as far away from their parents as possible as soon as they can.  I know from personal experience that when Justin and I are arguing that Emma & Evan's whole personalities are different.  They can tell when their is unrest in the house and it shows in them too.  Of course there is NO family around that doesn't argue...we just have to be careful not to argue in front of our kids.  They second greatest thing we can give to our kids is our time.  So many people don't ever even talk to their kids.  If you can't spend time talking with them how can we ever expect them to come to us with problems??  And the guy broadcasting yesterday specifically said we needed to be having face to face time with them.  Let our children see us genuinely showing interest in their lives and listening to them with undivided attention!  We are starting a new parenting series in Sunday School.  Our girls bible study actually did this study last summer!  It was so good that they thought the guys and ladies that didn't get to come to bible study needed to see this series.  We kicked it off last Sunday when Scott Smith, the guy over BCM at Lander, came to talk to us.  He is such a sweet man!!  He said 90% of the conversations he has with college students are about their parents.  Not only do these college students want to tell the bad things their parents have done but lots of his conversations are about good things parents are doing.  It just seems that this week that I have heard over and over how important our responsibilities as parents are!!  And it's not something we should take lightly!!  So, enough of my ramblings!!  Hope you were able to share Valentines day with the ones you love and that you will always remember God's love for us!!