Spoiler alert: I love making valentines.
Homemade valentines are the best. In elementary school, when everyone brought folded rectangular cartoon, princess and superhero valentines for each classmate, I always thought it was so fun to decorate my “mailbox.” Sometimes it was too much work to make homemade valentines for 20 other kids, but decorating the mailbox was where we could spread our creative wings.
Fast-forward to January 29th of my senior year of high school. It was a dreary Friday and with the weather forecast promising flurries in the evening, our track coach cancelled after-school practice. My best friends on the team and I all lived within a mile of each other, so we decided to run together on a trail that backed up to our neighborhood. The leaves were slippery, the roots were hidden and the trail disappeared under the forestry during parts of our run. I jumped over a root, landed on the slick leaves and slid, twisting my ankle along the way. My friends helped me hobble (more like carried me) out of the woods and to the street where one mom came to pick us up and take me back to my house. After a quick visit to urgent care and an x-ray, I came out with crutches and a diagnosed 3rd degree sprain.
As predicted, we did get snow and ice that night. Awesome for everyone who wants to go sledding…not so awesome for the one with the newly sprained ankle. While my siblings and friends spent the weekend outside in the snow, I was stuck inside. However, we had lots and lots of red cardstock, white paper and floral magazines, which for me meant a weekend to hole up inside making homemade valentines for everyone. I vividly remember these days of crafting and the red and pink gifts they produced, and every year around this time I get excited to make my own valentines again.
Here’s to a good start!
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