All you need is love.

I originally had a recipe scheduled for today, but I had such a great birthday this week, that I wanted to just say a quick thing about gratitude and love. My heart is so full that when I blew out my birthday candles, I totally forgot to make a wish.  In that moment everything was good, and I wanted for nothing.

If you have people you love and who love you back, you are so, so fortunate!  To quote one of my favorite movies: The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and to be loved in return. (Bonus points if you know the movie.)

My mom & dad baked the cake, and there was no way 46 candles were going to fit on there, so we opted to do a candle per decade.

On Wednesday (my birthday) I shared the story of how I became friends with Handsome Hubby’s ex-wife.  It was an important post for me to write, because I am just so grateful and happy about the way everything turned out.  It was a post that I really had to think about for several months before it finally came together.    Michelle and I discussed it, and we thought that if it resonated with even one person, or gave someone a bit of hope for one of their broken relationships, then it was a good thing. The positive responses were amazing, and they could have made my day all on their own…
But there was more.

My parents came over, my Handsome Hubby cooked dinner, and we opened gifts.  HH spoiled me, Mitchell picked out this beautiful locket and chain, and the guys got me a fabulous gift certificate and sweet cards.  However, I wanted to share the cards from Conner and Grant with you today.

Life is too short to keep your feelings inside.  If you love someone… tell them.  And the boys did that.  I was a mess.

For years, Conner has made his own cards for us.  They are always the same format:  Plain white printer paper, folded in half and written in pencil.  He even has his own “logo”.

They are always sweet and moving, and are usually pretty funny too.  (And often with a lot of tongue-in-cheek cheesiness that is Conner’s trademark…)

Happy Birthday!  To the most beautiful Mom in the world!  So sit back, have a glass/bottle of wine, and let Conner do his magic…

Dear Mom,
My life has been blessed with many great things.  But one of my biggest blessings is you.  God had a plan the day you were born.  His plan was to make you my mother so we could share so many moments together.  He knew you would guide me down the path of manhood and down the path of Christ, so when I got to Heaven I would sit up straight and use my manners.  You are a wonderful person and I can’t wait for my memories to be spent with you!  I love you!  Happy Birthday!  Love, Conner

The little stinker managed to tell me he loved me while still working in some teasing about my wine consumption and my penchant for good table manners.

Grant, inspired by Conner, made me a card this year too.  CBC clearly has a bit of competition, because Grant designed his own logo as well. (Apparently, inspired by a certain factory where certain Pixar monsters go to work on the scare floor…)

On the front of the card, we have a quadruple heart and a birthday greeting in a “flaming meteor”.

On the inside, we have a 24 story gift wrapped building, and this poem:

“You stand by me and we never spread apart, I’m a moon and you’re a world loving me with all your heart, you don’t leave me alone and you haven’t before, what you give me is love and hugs galore”
This is a poem made by me, as you can see, my feelings for you fill up an ocean or two, what I’m trying to say is “I love you.” love, Grant

um, really?! Amazing.

I have to be honest, I actually googled his poem, wondering if it was song lyrics or something.  Nope.  A Grant original.  (Don’t judge.  Conner once cracked us up for a few months by saying Tarter Sauce! when he was mad.  We later found out it was a SpongeBob thing…)

I love that all of these boys are so expressive, and that they are sentimental and appreciate the value of family, love and laughter.  It’s along those lines that I want to share the card Conner made last month for HH for Father’s Day.  I double dog dare you to read it without tearing up.  HH is Conner’s step-dad.  Mike, my ex-husband passed away in March of last year.

The card came with this tiny plastic trophy that proclaims the bearer to be The World’s Greatest Father.
Front of the card reads:
Happy Father’s Day To a man who is always pushing me towards greater things.  (Open Gift First.)

Inside, it reads:
When I was a little kid, I got this for my Dad for Father’s day.  It doesn’t look that big or special but it meant a lot to me.  I gave it to him truly believing that he was the best father in the whole world.  After he passed, I was going through a box labeled “Mike’s Important Stuff.”  I found the trophy inside and I knew it had as much significance and meaning to him as it did to me.  I now want you to have it.  I know it doesn’t look like much, but this trophy is my way of saying “I love you” and that I am glad you are always going to be there to help me reach adulthood.  Here’s to the best Father In The World!  I love you so much and feel so blessed that God put you in my life.  Have a great Father’s Day!  Love, Conner

Are you crying yet?  (If not, you might be a robot.  Just’ sayin’.)

If I was told that we needed to evacuate for some reason, and I had 5 minutes to gather what I was going to take with me, these handwritten cards are the first things I would grab.  They are treasures, as are the sweet souls who created them.

I know I am all sappy and sentimental today, but I have really been thinking a lot about how we need to be focused a bit more inward.  It is so easy to get distracted by the fast/shiny/3 second soundbite world that we live in.  We are as wealthy as we choose to be.  There isn’t a price you can put on children who are loving and expressive… no monetary value that can be placed on a wonderful evening with family… and he who has friends is rich, indeed.

(Oh my word, I’m channeling George Bailey.)  

Thanks for reading, and I’ll be back with regularly scheduled reading and topics next week.  Have a fabulous weekend.