The Hatch Family: Valentines Day-- Through the eyes of a mother

Yesterday was Valentines day. I love Valentines day. Even as a child and single young adult I still loved valentines day. I guess it's partly because my mom always made it special by decorating the breakfast table and giving us all a small valentines treat or toy. At school you got TONS of candy and sweet cards from all the girls in class and funny ones from the boys. Maybe it's because I always felt that valentines day as more about physical proof of the love that surrounded me all year than about having a sweet heart. My first valentines with a boyfriend, who just happened to be my future husband, was pretty horrible. I had built up all these crazy expectations in my head of what valentines day would be like once I had a boy as my valentine. Thanks to the BYU business school and their decision to have a HUGE junior core project due on February 15, my valentine didn't even take one second to think of me. He was inexperienced, I was inexperienced and neither of us thought of the needs of the other. I think the night ended in Brandon asking me to tell him what I wanted him to buy me and me saying it wouldn't matter now anyway because he didn't think of it himself. I know, we were so mature. After cooling down we both realized we had been in the wrong and since then have had pretty awesome valentines days. Nothing crazy, but I got flowers and he got food arranged in some special way.

Last year, everything changed. We had a 3 week old! Our Valentines day was spent in the pediatricians office after finding a lump the size of a golf ball in Seth's neck. I think we ate at burger junkies after because we were too starving to wait for anything else. (For those who don't know, the lump was just muscle and after 6 months of physical therapy he was all better)

This year I had planned a couples massage for Brandon and I and then a dinner after. Seth would be asleep by then so to save money on a babysitter I planned to rent a movie and spend the evening at home. Well, This is how my day went. Wake up to find the trash bag I had left out overnight had been attacked by a raccoon or skunk and trash covered the entire driveway. Then Seth wakes up with a fever and is pretty cranky unless we are outside. Nap time finally comes and I get to write my talk for church on Sunday. Usually I really enjoy writing talks and this one was a wonderful strengthen your testimony kind of topic but I didn't have any personal anecdotes to share or stories that would fit in. (I'm afraid it won't be very good and can only hope that the spiritual-ness of it will make up the difference). Seth wakes up and still has a fever PLUS he has thrown up ALL OVER his crib. Awesome! So whats a mom to do but call the babysitter and ask her if she can come at 6 instead of 4 so that Seth will already be in bed for the night by the time we leave. I still sent Brandon to get a massage while I cleaned up and did laundry, filled Seth with medicine and water, and wrote extensive notes for the babysitter. Romantic, huh?

The evening ended up being pretty great despite my changing everything up. Brandon loved his massage and it relaxed him so much he didn't even get frustrated when I made several blunders in a row. We still got to go out to eat and instead of a night at home we got to see FROZEN!!! I could rave all day about it but I know you all feel the same way so I will spare you! I will say, however that the movie fit into my valentines day perfectly. Its not about having a sweetheart to buy you flowers or pamper you or kiss you. It's about being there for those you love no matter what. It's about taking care of family and laying awake all night while your baby is coughing wishing you could cuddle him in your bed and make him better but knowing his personality enough to know that he would rather be left alone in his crib. Its about sending your love off to get a massage without you because you know he needs it. Its about the siblings who may not always agree with you but will love you and be there whenever you need them and its about the parents who give everything to make your life better than theirs was. And of course, its about the couples who put their valentine before themselves because their greatest wish is to see the other one happy.

I love valentines day and I always will.