Growing up as a child most of us would get flowers, balloons, candy or teddy bears from our parents, secret admirers, boyfriends/girlfriends, or from grandparents on this day of "Love". We would love it. I remember some of the guys in school would get things from their mom and would be so embarrassed. But now as we are older things change.
Tonight I received one of the greatest Valentine's Day gifts I have ever received. An unexpected gift at that!
After my lovely dinner date with Lee, I went to my parents house to pick up Stephen. When I arrived I was looking at all of his stuff from daycare and noticed something else on the table. It was 2 aprons. A little one for Stephen and one for me. Stephen's was made of mostly Thomas the Train material with a navy blue pocket. Mine was made out of mostly the navy blue material trimmed in the Thomas the Train material. Too stinkin cute. When I asked mom where they came from she told me there was a story about the aprons.
The story...
A while back my grandma's sweet neighbor, Ms. Brenda, asked grandma if she had any of my pawpaw's shirts still. Grandma has gotten rid of most of his clothes. But she found an old blue work shirt of his that he always wore with his overalls. Ms. Brenda told her she wanted to make me something. So thus the aprons were born. My apron is made mostly of pawpaw's navy blue work shirt with a Thomas the Train pocket and trim. My apron has the buttons from the work shirt to make additional pockets on the apron. Stephen's little apron is made mostly of Thomas the Train material with pawpaw's navy blue shirt pocket piece as his pocket on Stephen's apron.
As mom told me the story I couldn't but to tear up. The meaning of those aprons would last a lifetime. I always remember my pawpaw wearing his overalls and those navy blue shirts under them.
So this Valentine's Day I am so thankful for a gift that I can remember my pawpaw!
Flowers, candy, teddy bears and balloons are all nice but they all fade away at some point. My memories of my pawpaw never will.
Sometimes we get to materialized in life. We want stuff instead of making memories. I am so thankful that Ms. Brenda thought of me and made such an amazing gift for me. Yes she made it out of material but the memories she attached are many smiles from the heart.
So as this "Love Day" ends, remember the ones you love the most. Whether they are here or have already been laid to rest, thank the good Lord above for the lessons of love that those people instilled in you.
" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
We can learn a lot from love if we just open our heart. I have a lot of learning to do that's for sure. I don't think you ever completely learn.
Valentine's Day 2012 has been a bittersweet day. Thank you Ms. Brenda for making memories into something even more memorable.
" And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1Corinthians 13:13
Gonna sit back and admire just an ole work shirt!
