Carrying on the Tradition...

I agree that there are a lot of traditions out there that have seen their day and should probably die along with big bangs and whitewashed jeans (like my grandfather's tradition at the beach of cutting my great uncle's toenails), but there are some traditions that make the world a sweeter place to live in. One of those sweet traditions I had while growing up was our family's Valentine's Day dinner.

I can see the dining room table set with Mom's fine china. At every seat are cards from Mom and Dad along some chocolates and a present to open. Candles are glowing making a dim light in the room. There is an amazing dinner prepared along with a special dessert you might only see at a fine restaurant. There are three little girls seated waiting to open their Valentine's Day goodies from their parents. For a moment, these girls aren't thinking about missing out by not having a boy as their Valentine, for they have their daddy and mommy as their Valentines.

This evening was always something to look forward to in our family. Though I didn't always see it this way (especially while I was a teenager) there was something about it I always loved. I can still remember my first Valentine's Day as a married woman, and though I had my own Valentine, I still missed being a part of the family Valentine dinner. The neatest part, looking back now, is the fact that as a young girl growing up, I always had a Valentine. My mom and dad were always there for us and showed us we weren't alone...even if there wasn't a young fellow to go out with on Cupid's holiday. They also showed us up close the healthy love they had for each other. I am thankful for that because I was always sure that my parents loved each other and now I know how to love my husband because of their example. I truly have the best parents in the world.

Now that I have my own child, I felt it was important to carry on the tradition for our own family. So this year I decorated our table and made my best attempt at a fine meal for Chris and me. Eli sat at the table with us and enjoyed rice cereal. I loved the time I spent with my family around that table. Chris and I both dressed nicely and sat by candlelight and talked about our past years of dating and marriage. Eli cooed and played and stared at the fire from the candles. Though he won't remember this first Valentine's Day dinner, I hope the years to come will be as special to our children as it was for me growing up. Here are a couple pics from the evening...

Eli and me sitting at the table.

The table set for dinner...steaks, twice-baked potatoes, salad, beer bread, and strawberry shortcake along with sweet tea.