Tuesday, February 14, 2017

A Love Story

Today is Valentine's Day. Bereket just got home from school with a sack filled with mini cards and treats from her classmates. Taking inventory of the little bags of Skittles and trinkets, I smiled at a heart shaped pencil sharpener and pink mustache. Some parents and kids are so clever! I would make a mental note to do something more Pinterest-like next year, but I know that won't happen. So instead, I will enjoy the creativity of others.

Today though, it is a different kind of expression of love that has me smiling.  It is the love and pride my child has in who she is and where she comes from. Last week, Bereket decided she wanted to tell her adoption story to her classmates during sharing time. She wanted to share her precious photo albums and talk about Ethiopia and the important people in her life there.  Bereket's teacher reached out to us first for our blessing and so that we could guide her in preparation.  We were a little uncertain if Bereket was ready for this, but in the end it is her story and her decision who she shares it with.
We have yet to see the video Bereket's teacher took yesterday, but she did message us this photo. Bereket's principal joined the class for her special story. We've been told Bereket's sharing was beautiful and we look forward to watching the video with her. We could not be more proud of her.

If I was to tell the story of my own childhood, it might include the wonderful box of chocolates my father gifted me with every Valentine's Day. He never missed giving my sister and I each our own giant, heart-shaped box. We would cut into each chocolate with a knife, trying to find the caramel ones. The candies with pink and orange filling were always the last to go.  My parents have now passed on the tradition to their grandchildren. We enjoyed going out to dinner with my parents last weekend and Dad did not forget that special heart-shaped gift for Bereket.
We keep holidays pretty simple around here. I bought my own flowers for $4.99 at the grocery store on Sunday and Jason used a scrap of paper as a card as he headed out the door to work this morning.  But my heart is full. Happy Valentine's Day.





1 comment:

  1. Love this! Good job, Bereket. I bet that video will be so beautiful to see. And I love keeping holidays simple too - your comment about a note on the way out of the door is how we roll too. Authentic!

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