I will admit that there is a part of me that still thinks of Valentine’s Day as a Hallmark Holiday; however, I am also willing to admit that I thought that more back when I did not have a Valentine to share it with.  Now, don’t get me wrong–we don’t get all sappy.  And hell to the no-we do NOT go out to eat! In the ATL? Are you kidding me? You can’t even go to a fast food restaurant in a decent amount of time on Valentine’s Day.  I got into this terrible habit of making handmade lollipops for the kids to take to school a few years ago.  I got candy forms at Cake Art and used Wilton Melts.  Each kid had a label that I would print out on the computer. I remember that one year, Mini Me had lollies that were shaped like LP’s and some that were shaped like guitars. His labels were round and had a little skunk on them. Around the outside of the label, it said, in red (of course) “Love Stinks, Yeah Yeah… XO”  I think I made each kid about 100.  Anyway.  This story is not about Valentine’s Day.  I just took the opportunity to tell you about how crafty I am. I apologize!  Back to the subject!

Valentine’s Day sort of falls into the same category as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, except I have been lucky enough to always have a mother and a father, so I have never had an excuse to hate those holidays.  I will say that Mother’s Day got a lot more special to me after I had kids of my own.  Of course, as the kids got older,  I started to milk it for all it’s worth-sort of like it’s my birthday. You know what I mean…. So and So, bring me such and such… (So and So will commence to whining) but So and So, it’s MOTHER’S DAY! Tee hee 😉  Last year, Mini Me had moved out of his dorm at school and back home before Mother’s Day, and we were all together.  This year was a different story.  He has a house off-campus.  It never crossed my mind until Mother’s Day Morning.  I told myself that I totally understood. There really was no reason for him to drive all the way home for Mother’s Day.  I was secretly feeling sorry for myself.  I went out back to work on our screened porch, which I am in the process of re-screening.  It was about 1:00.  I remarked to Mothah that Mini Me hadn’t even called me!  Right then, my phone rang and guess who it was?  Mini Me.  After we got off the phone, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he might walk through the door.  I knew that was wishful thinking.  I kept on working.  JC was cooking on the Big Green Egg and his parents were joining us for dinner.  I knew that Mini Me wasn’t coming when JC, The Middle Child, and The Baby called me in from working outside to give me my Mother’s Day gift.  If Mini Me was on his way, surely they would have waited until he arrived….unless that was all part of THE PLAN…. I told myself to stop thinking like that.  I had not told Mini Me that I wanted him to come home and I should not expect him to.

A little while later, I was sitting on the couch.  I heard the kitchen door open, but thought nothing of it.  Mothah and I were totally engulfed in an episode of Justified.  When I heard his familiar voice say “Hullo”, I jumped up and screamed.  Mini Me had come home for Mother’s Day! I hugged him tight.  Everyone had known but me, of course.  When he left before dinner to go play guitar at an open mic night, I had to laugh.  I SO remembered being 19.  I was not upset at all. Just having him in the same city for a few days would be enough.  And him actually thinking of coming home on Mother’s Day was enough.   We had some good talks while he was home,  and I cried when he left.  Thank you, Mini Me. I love you so.