My Valentine

This isn't just any handprint
As you can plainly see.
For it is a special handprint
Made by Me!
With this handprint I sent
Lots of hugs and kisses your way.
And ask that God bless you
On this Valentine's Day!

When I was in High School I couldn't have hated Valentine's Day even a little bit more. I hated it. I am pretty sure I was the only one of my friends who never had a Valentine. I went to a pretty small school and it was a day I dreaded every single year. Yuck.

Then came college and it was really no better. Actually I probably hated it more. I seemed to be the only person interested in celebrating a fun, friendly Valentine's. It was all about having a "man"! Ugh!

Then along came my friend Greg Linkous. After about a year of being friends I got the biggest crush on that chubby cheeked nerd. It was bizarre. He was going to be out of town for Valentine's Day, but he came in to work and left a Valentine in my drawer. Being the goober that he is, he left it in a drawer I rarely opened and he didn't bother to leave a note. I admit, I was a bit crushed. I really hoped he would get me at least a card, but nada. Late on the afternoon of Valentine's Day he called to ask me what I thought of my gift. Of course, I hadn't found it, but he told me where it was and it was so sweet. It was one of those cheesy tubes of Reece's cups with a heart on top and a card. The card was signed "heart, Greggie". It was at that point, Valentine's Day changed for me.

Several years later Greg would propose on Valentine's day, and seven years later sweet Avery would make his grand appearance on the same day.

Today when I dropped Avery off at school, I found another reason to love Valentine's day.

Love it!