let's talk about love

 The well problems are mostly over. Yes, we have water now (and it tastes wonderful)

 but the pressure wasn't good today. When Brian got home from work, he figured out that 

there is still sediment being filtered and with all that sediment clogging up the house filter 

(which is a must when you have a well), it was slowing the water pressure down. He

 changed the filter and the pressure is good once again. Hopefully, that's the end of

 the sediment. We'll see. Brian might be changing the filter several times. And it's a real

 pain because you have to turn the water to the house off. And the filters are also expensive.

On to a better subject: Love. And Valentine's Day. The colors of this holiday ~ red and 

pink ~ are cheery in the middle of the bleak winter. There's heart-shaped everything.

You have an excuse to eat a few chocolates. Remember in grade school when you had

 to give a little Valentine to everyone in your classroom? And you  decorated a shoebox with

 a hole in the lid so that you could collect Valentines from your classmates? I don't think kids

 do that anymore. 

I like putting small touches of Valentine's Day decor around the house and

decorating the china cabinet in the kitchen.

The soft hearts on the top shelf were made by Carol at Art and Sand. The heart plate in 

the middle was a Target find from last year and the "love" glasses flanking the plate were

 from the Dollar Tree years ago.

This bowl was found at Target last year, too. I love the little bird perched on 

the edge! (Psst...have a chocolate.)

On top of the dresser in my office...that's a photo of my precious boys from a long time

ago in the notepad holder. A puffy fabric heart - another from Carol - says "sweet".

I found these LED heart lights at Target today in the dollar bins (they were $3) and

hung them across Phil's memory shelf. They look so pretty lit up at night. I think I'll

keep them there year-round.

A little vignette on top of the secretary desk in the master bedroom...

"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."

(Mother Teresa)

 "Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those

who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be

kind." (Henri Frederic Amiel, 19th century Swiss philosopher and poet)

Knowing my love my for stitched hearts and that I don't sew, out of the kindness and

generosity of HER heart, I received these beautiful hearts in the mail yesterday

 from Carol of Art and Sand.

Look at the detail in every one of these beauties...

I have them displayed in a wire basket on my kitchen table.

Aren't they just perfect in my home?

 I hope that everyone's hearts are filled with love today ~ whether from a friend,

a family member, a beloved pet, or even a stranger. And don't forget to spread

a little of that love around yourself.

who believes in you

 We all have our support systems ~ family, friends, coworkers...perhaps neighbors

or those that are in a like-minded group we belong to. Those who support us and

believe in us, no matter the path we choose.

But there's nothing quite like the love and support of mom - if we're blessed to

still have our mom in our lives. I'm still blessed to have mine, and as a lot of the

world chose to celebrate Mom yesterday on a "Hallmark holiday", I enjoyed a visit
 with my beautiful mother at her house. She just got home from a two-month
 stay in Kentucky, taking care of her 97-year old father who suffered a heart
attack. She is always willing to jump in her car and travel eight hours to take
 care of her dad, putting her own needs aside. That's just one of the things I love
 and admire about my mom!

 And, as a mother myself, I've always believed in my two sons. One of the things I

always said to them was, "The world is your oyster and you are the pearl." Very sad to

say though, that my oldest son, Philip believed in everyone but himself. Some of you know

that he suffered with depression and God-only-knows whatever other mental demons

and that despite all the love, support, and help we could find and muster, ultimately it

was drugs and alcohol that took Phil's life at the tender age of 21.

 (Phil, me, Tim ~ 2008)

My youngest son, Tim, who is now 22 thanked me yesterday for my patience 

(patience - me?!) and belief and support in him. And I got a couple of long, hard

hugs from him. What more can a mom ask for? He told me that this card said everything

that he was feeling. I was moved to tears.

 My "baby" will be moving out in just seven weeks ~ renting a house with his cousin

and a few other young people ~ and attending university which is a 1-1/2 hour drive away.

 Even though this will be a hard adjustment for both of us, I know we'll both be fine.

 Because I believe in him and he's going to shine and grow and develop into

the most beautiful pearl I've ever seen.