So, to say that I look forward to the month of February would be quite the understatement. To see the department store aisles emerge from the grays of January and explode into life with the bold reds and bright  pinks never fails to bring a smile to my face.  As I stroll down the holiday aisle, my memory strolls alongside and once again I am sitting in the 3rd grade with the most beautiful Valentine’s Day “mailbox” ever created. I will never forget the painstaking effort that went into this masterpiece. I can still see the lace doilies, the cut out hearts and glitter that adorned my creation. I couldn’t wait to go home from school that afternoon and show my mother all my Valentines from classmates which were nestled safely in my mailbox.

I’m not sure why my Valentine’s Day mailbox creation stands out in my mind. I’m sure I made other crafts in my years of schooling, but for some reason this particular creation lives in my memory. So, as February rolled around each year, I would eagerly search for my crafting supplies hoping to pass along this joy to my children. Together, we would sit at the kitchen table and craft together heart shaped Valentines to share with friends and family. I would bore them senseless I’m sure, with stories of my mailbox creation and other Valentine’s Day memories of mine.

 My girls are much older now and my crafting kit sits untouched. Heart shaped handmade Valentines have been replaced with heart shaped earrings. Instead of sitting at the table covered in Elmer’s Glue, sharing memories, we are often found discussing boys and more mature matters of the heart. My oldest daughter is 19 and I know that one day…… granddaughters will arrive (fingers crossed) and I will dust off my crafting box, head for the Valentine’s Day aisle where waiting for me will be a beautiful packet of doilies, red construction paper, and Elmer’s Glue.

I hope that our Valentine’s Day Celebration gives you and your family ideas that will enhance your homeschooling experience. Treasure the time you have with your homeschoolers, little ones and the not so little ones. Save every paper heart, mailbox, and doily that you can make room for. We all choose to homeschool for different reasons but I believe the central reason for all of us is love. Enjoy this season of love!