♥ From my house to yours ♥

The Valentines have been addressed, and yes, they were store bought (fine, Internet bought), and being delivered as I type.  Actually, the mail lady (☺) just grabbed her note and chocolates out of our mailbox. Teacher gifts were created (You can find the tutorial here, Thank-you Jen! We purchased our sanitizer at the $1 store, for $1 ☺, instead of rub-on transfers, we used decorative stickers with clear backgrounds ~ 8 sheets, $1.99 on clearance at Michael's and pipe cleaners instead of wire and beads)

The house is decorated, well kind of (Thank-you bloggy friends, for my new fabulous accessories, you ARE the best).

And the Salmon is thawing for tonight's dinner.

Why?

Well, today is Valentine's day ~ The day we tell the people around us that we love them.

But WHY?

Saturday, we received a phone call extending the sad news that a dear family friend had passed away.

He was a Young "old" man.
Happy
Thoughtful
Prayerful
Playful

He was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, and the outlook was not good.  He was a man of God and he fought.  He won too. He won more time with his family, his beautiful wife, and his friends.  He won the hearts of many with his outlook on life, his prayerfulness, his optimism and his spirit.

Of course, there are the standard word said, "he's in a better place" and "he feels no pain".  While these words are true, they do not fill the whole left behind by this great man.

Which, brings me back to today, Valentine's day.

Why not celebrate the ones you love everyday?

Why not let those who are important in your life, those you are thankful for and those you should be thankful for know how you feel everyday?

A quick note.
A kiss (ok, not just anyone gets a kiss ~ don't go kissing the newspaper delivery person, if you want them to come back, and not with a lawyer!)
A hug (see above disclaimer)
A word of thanks
A letter via "snail mail"
A simple thank-you
A smile
Your undivided attention

Something, somehow, someone EVERYDAY.

Not just on a "holiday".

So tonight, it's Salmon, tomorrow, it may be leftovers, but you can better believe, they will be hot, on a clean plate and served with love and a smile ~ as long as no one yells "ewwwww GROSS" before they even sit at the table ~ HA! ;).  After all, it's nourishment for the body as well as for the soul.

Have a beautiful day my friends and know I am thankful for you today, and everyday!

♥

Jim ~ you will be missed!

(Jim, Sassy and Grandpa ~ hunting 2007)