My special Valentine this morning wasn't even intended for me. It was a valentine Andrew made for Ethan. He made it at school, and last night, he snuck it onto Ethan's chair so he would find it this morning at breakfast.
Andrew and Ethan can be the best of friends and the worst of enemies, and all too often, ill feelings toward each other reign in their relationship. Last week, Ethan made Valentines for everyone in the family--except Andrew. (Sadly, Ethan is usually the kinder of the two). It is a daily concern of mine that these two need to build a stronger, more loving relationship--for when it all comes out in the wash, your brother may be the only one left standing by your side.
This morning when Ethan found his Valentine, I imagine a flood of thoughts entered his mind. Surprise, regret, happiness, remorse-- I only know what I saw on the outside, which was a little boy scurrying around the kitchen to find the markers and paper and create a Valentine for his forgotten brother.
I pulled Andrew aside and, in my signature sappy self, cried and told him how much it meant to me that he made a special effort just for Ethan and no one else. So here is my special Valentine--and it's better than your flowers, and diamonds, and chocolates, and dates-- because it truly came from the heart--the heart of a brother.
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3 comments:
I don't like crying this early in the morning! What a sweet Valentine.
It's moments like those that a mother lives for, and are all too often forgotten in all the other moments we deal with. Thanks for writing it down.
Im crying just reading that, darn pregnancy! Thanks for sharing your memories with us, it really makes us think what families are all about.
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