Love stories

I forgot about Valentine's Day at school. The parties. The candy. The superhero-themed cards.

It's been decades since the whole second grade at Hillcrest Elementary stapled big red paper hearts together to form bags, and shared Valentine candy with one another. I stomped home after school through the snow, and barfed it all in the neighbors' backyard. Belated apologies to the Harris family.

I'm pleased to report no vomiting this year, although I did eat several chocolate kisses and a gooey popcorn ball with multicolored candy hearts in it.

Speaking of candy, yesterday my friend Deeds brought me flowers (photo above) and a chocolate bar. This thing has pop rocks in it. If you're near a Trader Joe's, I highly recommend.

Also, I turned forty-four this month, and my mother made me leg of lamb and apple pie, my in-laws wrote and complemented my cooking, teachers at school gave coffee, the whole third grade sang to me, and the Total Package bought me this beautiful ring.

It's hard to photograph, but it's labradorite. Sometimes it looks brown or green or blue, depending on the light.

There's another love story that bears mentioning today. My mother-in-law Doris has suffered terribly this year; arthritis contorted her spine to the point of constant, unbearable pain, and she lost the use of her legs. She crawled everywhere.

My father-in-law has helped her morning to night, for months, with everything. No complaints.

"You are a good husband, Pete," I told him.

"I promised," he replied.

That's love. I've watched my own parents help one another during the past year. Mom drives Dad to the VA and the orthopedist and physical therapy and the surgeon. Mom got a new knee, and Dad pushes and pushes on it to make it straighten like it should.

To celebrate Pete's birthday, and the fact that Doris finally got the surgery she needed, Moon Pie drew this picture of his grandpa and we mailed it to him. "Great Grandpa," it's called.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God. I John 4:7

For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hebrews 6:10