An(other) Unromantic Valentine's Day

Ours was not fit for the likes of Hallmark.  I'm not in the realm of super-mom or super-wife . . . and never will be.  So we didn't eat heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast, have red or pink coloured foods for lunch and something special for dinner.  I didn't even make Valentine cards for my family!  Thank goodness for school with a planned party, for fancy clothes to dress A in, and for family who sent little cards to make things feel special :).  As far as the kids knew, it was a really great day!  What more can I hope for . . .

The day was sunny and mild at only -3 C.  I had plans for a play date with almost four year old, M, whom I babysit every other Saturday - and her Mom.  I'd emailed over some ideas of what we could do, but my emails hadn't been read.  So as we talked on the phone early in the morning, I shared my suggestions looking forward to getting out despite how sick I felt (my nose matched the red of my shirt.  No exaggeration).  I was a little irked when M's Mom asked her, "Would you like to go to story time, walk outside on the frozen river, toboggan at the Forks . . . OR would you like to go to the bouncy castle at KidCity?  Well, what would you choose at 3?!  (And I had worded the suggestions much more appealingly than that). :)   It was a reminder to never ask your kids what they want to do when someone else is involved.  Not that I ever do.  The kids had fun, but I was still sort of ticked as I drove them home in the bright sunshine I hadn't got to enjoy!  The crazy thing is that this Saturday, the kids are attending M's birthday party at none other than KidCity!

A barged in the door after school with a hand full of Valentine's and a big smile - minus two teeth!  In horror, Iz covered her mouth then said, "Oh, my dear sis-ta."  As she gave A big comforting hugs, we laughed and explained that teeth are meant to fall out when you're six.  A had had her two front ones loose for a long time, but with such nice gaps between her teeth, they just kept sliding in until they were over-lapping.  Wiggly, but not ripe for the picking!  A kid on the playground bumped into A's mouth and knocked them both out.  She did her best to find one tooth off the ground while her friends told her she was bleeding.  She then spent the remaining recess time inside with a cloth in her mouth.   The tooth fairy was generous last night - hard not to be for such a brave girl.

S called home in the afternoon to suggest "date" plans for the evening.  We're not far from the University of Winnipeg where the annual Stolen Sisters Memorial March was scheduled to happen at 5:30.  It's a march that began 21 years ago in Vancouver to honour the lives of missing and murdered women from the Downtown Eastside.  Now there are solidarity marches in various Canadian cities, raising awareness and seeking justice.

It wasn't a typical Valentine's suggestion - but I was up for going with the kids.  Seeing a twenty-something year old man with a giant card, "Bring home my Valentine" and a picture of a beautiful girl reminded me of why it was meaningful to be there.  It was sobering to be amongst family members, friends and others holding heart-shaped signs with the names and pictures of missing or murdered women - at least 86 in Manitoba over the years, mostly Indigenous.  It's hard to imagine the deep, daily pain for all the families which that number represents.  If it was my sister, daughter, mother or friend, I wouldn't want to be alone with my sign and a handful of others whose loved ones were also gone.  Romance is nice, but solidarity, comfort and support trumped it this Valentine's Day.  It certainly was touching to see the care that was shown toward each other by those we walked amongst.