A Very Happy Valentines Weekend...

Love. It's what we're all about today, it being Valentine's Day, or the end of it at this point. My day has been simply wonderful, picture perfect. My whole weekend as a matter of fact. Left straight from work Friday night to head down to Springfield for my niece's final "big show" in her cheerleading career - the State ICCA Cheer Competition. My sis coaches the team, so it was a pretty big deal for both of them, especially considering that Caity (niece) is a senior, making this event particularly bittersweet.

What a day. Cait's team was about the 9th one out yesterday morning. The first 8 were okay, good cheering, fun to watch. But wow. When the Richmond Burton Rockets took their places the floor came to life. Watching them I knew right away - this is what a 1st place team looks like. You could see it in the way the judges sat up and took notice. God, that was fun. And what pride my sis must have felt, watching her precious daughter cheer her heart out. I was as proud as if Caity were my own daughter. But then again, I AM her Auntie:)

After 8 straight hours of one team after another, the awards were announced. Caity's team took first place out of 22 teams in her division. It was the happiest moment...tears, laughter, hugs. All their hard work paid off in a very sweet victory. One girl performed with two broken fingers, another with a fractured ankle. You'd never have guessed, as these ladies left everything they had right there on the floor. How lucky I was to have been there, a moment worth a million bucks, that's for sure. The sweetest part was that as the girls pulled into town the local fire department was there, sirens blaring and lights flashing, ready to escort the girls into town, right up to the front steps of the high school. Talk about home town spirit - Richmond, Illinois has it down pat!

Before I went to work on Friday I mixed up a batch of sugar cookie batter. I knew I'd be pooped by the time I got home last night (after midnight). This year for Valentines Day I wanted to bake up heart cookies to give. I'm sure glad I took the time because that's how I started my day today - listening to my favorite CD (Terra Guitarra - check it out at http://www.patchouli.net/), slurping my coffee and baking cookies.

I wrapped them with love and headed off to deliver - a batch to my neighbor who lost her husband to cancer a few months ago, some to a friend who is alone in her brand new home, batches to my daughters and their families, a batch to my parents, and of course a plateful for the love of my life, my husband.

No fancy words tonight. Just spilling from the brain to the keyboard. Am giving huge thanks today for this blessed weekend. For the people I love. For my husband - a very good man. I'll write more later in the week on love as Don and I celebrate our 32nd anniversay on the 18th. In his Valentine to me he wrote "does this make 34? And each year I love you more and more." 34 years and this wonderful man has agreed to be my Valentine. Lucky me!

Wishing you love - the long lasting kind...

-t.