When we arrived home, we exchanged a few little gifts. Back when we were poor students, Adam and I decided that Valentine's Day was a great day for home made gifts for one anther. Adam is always so creative with home made gifts. He knows how to touch my heart so perfectly. He has made me CD's, slide shows and videos, and much more. One year, on Mother's Day, not V-Day, when I as pregnant with Josh and really emotional, I had shut myself in the bathroom to cry a bit (privacy in our 700 sq. ft. apartment while Adam was back in school was hard to come by) and Adam started sliding this cute little "why we love Mommy" photo montage under the door one page at a time that he had made that week. It changed my poor-pregnant-me tears into I-love-my-family-so-much tears in a second. This year's Valentine's gift was another hit out of the park. He and the boys gave me this amazing bouquet... 
Each of the boys had a designated flower color, and Ben and Zach even cut out their own. The vase says "I Love You..." then each of the flowers has a reason why I am loved, who it is from is based on the color of the flower: Zach=pink, Ben=purple, Josh=yellow, Luke=orange. They say things like, "For loving all us kids (Josh)" and "For dancing in the kitchen (Luke)" and "For picking good schools for us (Zach)" and "For hugging me tight (Ben)." Adam just asked them to start listing things and he acted as scribe, except for Zach, who wrote his own. It was my best gift ever, Honey, thank you so much!
Adam got the standard: kids hand print valentine. I know, not too creative, but he loved it and can't wait to hang it on his office wall. 
The boys each got a little stuffed dog (they are really into tiny-size stuffed animals right now for some odd reason) and a small box of chocolates (which were devoured almost instantaneously).
Later that night we hosted a party for all the great kids we know. We had been looking for a way to tell our friends here how much they mean to us, how much we appreciate their friendship and example to us. So we thought, and thought, and thought. And a crazy idea evolved. What is better than actually being able to get a babysitter for Valentine's Day? And what is better than a free babysitter (with the exception of pitching in for pizza)? And what is better than knowing your kids are still having fun on this Holiday of Love, even if you aren't there? And that is where it all began.So we invited a whole gaggle of kids over, a few families had other plans or had sick kiddos, so in all 20 ended up coming, plus our 4, that's a total of 24 kids all in our house at one time. Yes, there is a bit of insanity involved in that kind of party, but who ever said Adam and I were 100% sane? The true heroes of the night are two of our friends, Margaret and Jeff Mitchell, who offered to come over to lend a hand for the party, claiming that they weren't going out anyway since they just bought their beautiful new home. But I think they were just being the kind, helpful people they are! We were sure glad they were there! Having two more pairs of eyes on the gang, and two more hands to help, especially with the little ones, made the evening go extra smoothly. Really it did. Plus, we love hanging out with them, so that made it more fun for us too. It was a great night. Thanks Margaret and Jeff for sacrificing your night out to help!
I am sad I didn't get many pictures, but with 24 kids here, the camera wasn't the first thing on my mind. In the end, the house was messy, but no permanent damage done. One little boy bonked himself by his eye with a dino tail, but that was the only injury of the night, and he quickly felt better. No major fights broke out, just a few grouchy moments. And I think everyone had a good time...I know our friends who got to have a quiet date with their Best Valentine did, that's for sure! And that is what it was all about.
Here are Margaret and Jeff, manning the baby group. 
The boys found plenty of fun things to do.
The boys found plenty of fun things to do.
And, even with our severe lack of any toys that might be called "girly," the girls did too!
All the kids were so dang cute.
This picture doesn't actually capture the moment, but it was so funny to witness the "girl" mind set. You can't tell, but Anna here has found one of Josh's arrows from his bow and arrow set. However, instead of seeing an arrow, she and her sister saw magic wands and flitted about the basement blessing all who were playing there with fairy magic! Awesome.
This was my favorite picture of the night: when Batman meets Harry Potter.
My favorite quote of the night: "I'm a little bored, there are only boys here!" Poor Kamy, she was so sweet, but she is right, our ward is extremely boy heavy, and three of the families invited who have girls couldn't make it. I think she ended up having fun once the Wii tournament began.
We had a Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games tournament set up in the Family Room. And Kung Fu Panda playing on the projector in the other room. Both were hits! 
We had some crafts, but only about 1/3 of the kids did them. Most were too busy playing one thing or another to stop and do a craft.
We had a Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games tournament set up in the Family Room. And Kung Fu Panda playing on the projector in the other room. Both were hits! We had some crafts, but only about 1/3 of the kids did them. Most were too busy playing one thing or another to stop and do a craft. 
We also ordered a bunch of heart-shaped pizzas from Papa Murphy's. Heart-shaped food is a must on Valentine's Day, isn't it? The kids had to eat in shifts, but it worked out well since space in the kitchen is limited.
And the kids got to decorate some heart sugar cookies. Since I had long abandoned the camera by the time we got to that part of the evening, I only got pictures of some of the left-overs that I frosted and sprinkled. 
After 2 1/2 hours of rockin' Valentine fun, I hope the adults had some wonderful time together, the kids went home tired, and headed to bed with little problem, and that our friends and their children know how much we love them.
And actually, the house returned to normalcy quickly. Margaret helped pick up the Family Room before their family left. And our boys were amazing. They cleaned up the basement and didn't even complain about it at all...and that is saying a lot since I think every toy we own was out on the floor (and we own a lot of toys!). We tucked our sweet boys into bed, sending them to dreamland with kisses and hugs.
Don't worry, we got to celebrate too. Margaret baked an incredible chocolate-raspberry cake for the four of us grown-ups, and we each got a whoppin' piece to eat. After the Mitchells said goodnight, Adam and I toasted to a successful evening with some sparkling cider that one of the couples had brought for us and got some good snuggle time watching a show in bed...before crashing into a deep, dreamless, exhausted slumber. So the day ended perfectly too. A perfect day.
1. When was your engagement? Adam proposed to me on New Years Eve, at the Space Needle in Seattle, WA, at 12:00am on January 1st, 1998. He didn't get on one knee, and he didn't have my ring yet, but as the fireworks started to go off (we'd always had a joke about fireworks), he just felt it was the right moment, so he turned to me, took my freezing hands in his, held them to his chest and asked the most waited for question in history..."Will you do my laundry for the rest of our lives?" Just kidding, he asked me if I'd marry him. Of course I would! And I'd do the laundry too. I wasn't kidding about it being the most waited for question in history (see #4).
Zach, one of the things I love so much right now is watching you change from a little kid to a big kid. There are things you do now that remind me of when I was in second grade! It is so funny to hear you come home talking your second grade lingo, "Dude! Mom! You have to hear this!" Or "He was like, no way! And I was like, yeah, man! It's true!" I adore it! Or hearing your descriptions of the games you play at recess. You get in on the occasional game of soccer, or on a day where you just want to play alone, you take on the toys of the playground. But my favorite? Girls chase boys tag! You always come home covered in dead grass because one girl or another tackled you on the field. I am glad you have friends that are both boys and girls. Even though you sit at the "boys" table at lunch, you've never been a "ew! girl germs!" kind of guy. Which is good, because although you need to have your guys, we girls are pretty darn cool too. 
But more than just your second-grader mannerisms, I love seeing you take on the challenges of second grade with your typical style. You are so laid back about life, the ins and outs, sometimes I think the only thing that gets you really excited is soccer and video games. But it is really that you just know everything is going to work out OK. You have that "don't sweat the small stuff" attitude at only eight-years-old, an attitude most of us adults are still trying to get down! But with a little help from Dad and I, you also do what you can to make sure the small stuff doesn't become big stuff. Thanks for accepting and listening to our help. A big example of that was the recent challenges at school, it was more of a big deal to us than you, you knew it would be alright in the end. But when you realized we thought it was important, you were ready to get it fixed. We all made a plan, and it is going really well! You are doing your part and we are really proud of you! Really, Zach, to start now, working hard to tackle the problems you will face in life, that is really mature of you. 
Along those same lines I want to tell you how much I love the way you deal with your tic. It's been four years now since you were diagnosed with your "unspecified" tic disorder. We don't really talk about it much, mostly because it's no big deal. It comes and goes, most people don't even notice it, and because you don't let it bug you or make you feel different, you haven't let it define you. It just is what it is, it's part of you, but you are so much more than a kid with a tic. You have no idea how much I love that about you. You feel confident in who you are...and you should!
You have also developed quite the sense of humor over the past months. You love to be silly. To make people laugh. We love that about you! You always give us a chuckle. You definitely need to learn a little more about when it is appropriate to be silly and when you need to chill, but we never want you to lose that sense of humor. Being able to laugh at life, and even laugh at yourself from time to time, will make you so much happier because tough stuff will come, but being able to laugh at it makes it much easier.
It has been fun watching you play basketball this season. It has been a couple of years since you played anything but soccer, and it always amazes me how naturally athletics come to you. You play basketball like you have been playing it every season! Along with that, this year soccer was taken up a notch, wasn't it? Neither of us was used to the competitive level of play you faced this year. After a few pep talks, you stepped up to meet it. You are not an aggressive person. You don't dive head first into things, you are cautious, and like to take your time, testing the water a little at a time. But once again, you are working hard to increase your level of play and go after that ball, for a game you love. I love to see you step out of your comfort zone and do what is hard. And you are succeeding!
I love seeing you with your friends. It was hardest on you to move, you had a great group of buddies back in Washington. But you have made a place for yourself here. I know I don't get to be at school with you as much as some of the other parents, but when I do get to, it is so fun to watch you in your element. The way you joke and play around with the other guys is great. You have always been a good friend. I can see that you are well-liked by how much I hear, "Hey, Zach!" when I am there. But I also think you are doing a great job just being you, not letting yourself be formed or manipulated by the people around you. When you don't like something you are willing to walk away, or let your opinion be known. I hope you keep that up! 
I think sometimes Dad and I made the mistake of expecting perfection too often from you as a little boy. You were a pretty perfect kid, it was hard not to expect it! But I know better. One of the big parts of being human is to be imperfect and learn from it. I have been much more relaxed with your brothers. Know that I know you are still a kid, that mistakes will be made, that it is OK to get dirty and make messes (isn't that what our favorite Ms. Frizzle says?!). I trust you to make the best choices you can, because you know right from wrong. And when things don't pan out how you planned, I will be here for you to help you clean up and to comfort you if you need it. 
I always tell people that I am so glad you are my oldest. You are such a great example for Ben, Josh and Luke. You take care of them, watch out for them, and just be their friend. I am not saying you all don't fight...often...but it isn't mean fighting, it's just disagreeing, and that I can deal with. And you and I, we are good friends as well as mother and son. I love our friendship. I love watching you with your Dad too. You always want to show him how much you know and how good you are at things. Just remember that he has some great things to teach you still!
Oh! And I love to hear you speaking French! Your accent is so cool! And how you love Scouts so much, even having only been in for two-and-a-half months, it is adorable! And the songs that are always on your lips, priceless. Sing your way through life, bud! You are a great kid, Zach. If I could freeze time right now, right here, in these precious moments with you, I would. You are so loved, Zachary! Happy Valentines Day! 
You have a little light inside you, Ben, that brings light into the hearts of others. I just love it. You are unusually compassionate for a six-year-old, and you have been this way for a long time. As a toddler, you would get so upset when Zach or one of your friends was upset. If you accidentally hurt someone while playing I think you sometimes feel worse than the person you hurt! You have always asked others if they are OK without being prompted. There is just a kindness in you that is so amazing. It is your gift to share. 
I love your cleverness too. You are like a little mini-scientist. You love to explore this amazing world of ours. And you love knowing why. "Why?" is your favorite question, but you really want to know! I can tell because you never forget once I have told you. There seems to be no limits to the things you create. You can use any old thing and make it into something amazing. You inspire your brothers and friends to do the same because they can see the joy you take in inventing and creating. I am so curious to see how this skill grows and what it embraces as you get older. 
The way your small, but athletic body moves amazes me. You can climb trees like those guys at the Polynesian Cultural Center who shinny up the coconut trees in seconds. Really, I have seen you ten feet up in a tree where the first branch is five feet off the ground! Your running stride is so natural, like you were made to be a runner. And you never tire out. You love gymnastics because you can jump and fly and swing, showing off your "monkey skills," as you call them. Sometimes your coordination in the more organized sports can be a little off, and that is frustrating for you, but you work hard at all the things you set your heart on, even when they don't come naturally, and it pays off! You always improve so much when you are determined. 
I love the way you dove into elementary school, like you have been waiting for your first day of school since you were born! You bring joy to your teacher with your enthusiasm for everything you do in class. You remember everything you read or are taught! Your memory is like a vise! And your talent with numbers always surprises me. Sometimes you get one of Zach's math questions right before he does! Plus, you are so happy to be a reader finally! You love being able to find answers for yourself, and to explore whole new worlds outside of our own.
You are such a Daddy's boy. Dad is your hero. You get so jealous when one of your brothers gets time with him and you don't get to go. It has been so hard for you to let Dad and Zach work on Zach's Pinewood Derby car without you! You also idolize your big brother Zach. You two are such great friends! But you guys are careful not to exclude Josh, who at only four-years-old can be difficult to deal with at times. Thank you for that, there's that compassionate side of you again. And you are so helpful with Luke. You help him when he needs it, you worry when he cries, you teach him and make him laugh. It is great! I know he is going to look up to you so much. And the time you and I have together, when we read in the sunshine, or talk about why things work like they do, or make something in the kitchen, we do love those times! I love that your family is your center. 
The things you learn you truly take to heart. For example, you are learning what a "promise" is, that it is more than just saying the word, but also doing what you say. I believe you will do everything you can to fulfill your promises. You are the same way with things you are taught in church. You have such a strong knowledge that you are a child of God, that we all are children of God. For you it is more than saying the words you have heard others say, it is your truth, and I know it will bring you much happiness in life.
You have such a passion and joy for life. You have a deep conviction that life should be fair and everything should only bring happiness. When something doesn't come out that way it can seem like your tender heart is broken. Your sense of injustice is strong! These are great traits, so you keep fighting for what you know is right. But it is also good to see that you are learning to roll with the punches a bit more, because unfortunately, you will learn that life isn't usually fair at all. 
I love that you are rarely found sitting around being bored, you can always find something to do, even if all you have to work with are a couple of sheets of paper and some tape! You are a wonderful son, Ben. If I could freeze time right now, right here, in these precious moments with you, I would. You are so loved, Benjamin! Happy Valentines Day! 
To add icing to that sleepy cake, I woke up with my ear plugged and it has stuck that way all day long! I was born a wax producer. Lovely, I know. You wanted to know that about me, didn't you? This ability might be good if I were a bee, but kind of useless for us stingless folk. Include in the mix my narrow ear canals that are hard to clean out without creating more clogs, and every so often I get a build-up that just stays. Big deal you say? I still have one good ear, you say? That's just not good enough! Losing even part of one of your senses absolutely sucks. Try wearing an eye patch on one eye all day and you can have a glimpse at my annoyance. Or better yet, an ear plug in one ear. 
4. Watching Zach get his Bobcat Badge tonight, as well as a music belt loop and a soccer belt loop. He was so proud! 
5. Adam, going out at 9:15 tonight to get me some Debrox for my ear because the stuff I thought we had to help resolve this problem was nowhere to be found. My hero! Honestly, I love you, babe, for these little things. They mean so much!
7. Josh walking around Costco with his Valentine's Day hat that he made at school perched happily on his head. He made a lot of people at Costco happy too with that one. And then later sleeping in it.
8. Green cards for 12 days in a row from Zach. The kid is doing great!
How about this?
Josh's first prize of the night. A bendy plastic ruler. Yes, that one has already found a home in the trash bin. 
This is why I shouldn't go to dances, what in the world is that face?! I know! The face you wear when doing the Chicken Dance!
