Happy Valentine's Day ....

.... Peeps.

Yes, it's a pain-in-the-neck "holiday" ..... and it sometimes causes more pain in the heart than it does good feelings, but we seem to be stuck with it.

Of course this year I don't exactly hate it like I did last year. : )

These flowers are from C .... I thought he did a great job (even though we both agreed to not give each other anything .... I failed with that, too).

Life was painfully normal last week.

My grandmother died last Sunday .... the day before her 87th birthday. I was very close to her .... even though we didn't see each other much. She came for a 2 week visit last fall ..... and for that I am very, very grateful (especially for my mom).

I will miss her very much, but she was more than ready to move on and she lived a long time. It's difficult to be horribly sad under those circumstances now. A long life full of family is a very blessed thing.

The day before that Son #1 was driving on a highway near downtown Houston and he hit a tire. There was no way for him to avoid it without involving another car. It flew under the front of his car and stayed .... causing a lot of damage and requiring him to drive over 3 lanes to get out of traffic. It was a fully-rimmed tire that should have been removed from the highway after a wreck there earlier that morning.

Should have been.

The city of Houston is lucky that I have no desire to spend the next few years in court.

And I am thankful that, though his car was very badly injured, Son #1 was not.

He had an angel watching over him last Saturday at 8:00 in the morning.

Without a doubt.

Thank you, God.

Son #1 was able to build a 6 foot snowman the other night ..... it seems the Dallas area got more snow than he'd ever seen in his life and he took advantage of the chance to play like a northerner.

He also surprised me by coming home last weekend (the wreck weekend). It was great to be able to spend a little time with him. He's a neat person. If I do say so myself.

And I do.

The kids are all healthy and doing well.

Daughter #1 is hugely busy with a show that's opening later this month. I get to go up that weekend and be there opening night. I'm excited to see her work. I'm excited for her, too. I love theatre and love the fact that she (and the other daughters) does, too.

Daughter #3 is teaching kindergartners at a school for the deaf. I know she's doing a great job. She loves children very much ..... even the one who asked her why her hair was so messy if she combed it.

Ahhhhhh kids ...... gotta love 'em.

Or not.

The relationship is going well.

Very, very well.

People are commenting on how much the two of us are smiling.

Guess it's been a while.

:)

It still feels odd some days and it's still a very different thing than my first love (with Jim).

Very different.

But also very good.

And sometimes a lot of work.

Some days it seems like it would be easier to just walk away rather than wonder how in the world we can blend 10 people (or IF we can) ..... but then I wonder ..... do I want easy ..... or do I want good?

Good is worth the work.

Totally.

Have a good weekend, Peeps

And enjoy the Olympics .... I know I am!!!

: )