Posted on Creative Blog Mom
Last Friday, we took a trip to the Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans Nursing Home to deliver handmade valentines on behalf of Helping Hands of Nocatee, Inc. We made about 120 valentines using construction and tissue paper, markers, stickers, foam hearts, stamps, and anything else we could get our hands on. Anne from Mommy Has to Work had the multi-generational card making party at her house three days prior. Family members and friends ranging in age from 3 to 75 created these cards. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.
My daughter, Emma, was a bit taken aback by this adventure at first but, as you can clearly see in the photos, her heart shined with love after all. My husband was a bit hesitant to let her go. I never had a doubt.
As we walked in the door, we met a 99 year old female veteran. We never found out exactly where and how she served, but my father, who is also a veteran, suspected she was probably in the Women’s Army Corps. She was quite enthralled with Emma and decided to follow us around for a while. We didn’t care that it was a bit awkward. We were making her smile.
Valentine’s Day is made up of a lot of things, including the annoying commercialism. But if you focus on the basics , all you see is love. We shared our handmade cards and sincere love and respect with these veterans. Even if it seemed that some of them weren’t even aware of our presence, there is no doubt we made a difference in their day.
It was the least we could do for these men and women who made an extraordinary difference in our entire lives.
Oh my gosh, I can’t get over how sweet that is! That is the best way to celebrate Valentines Day 🙂
It really was a perfect way to celebrate. And a perfect way to expose my daughter to being giving and compassionate.
What a sweet and thoughtful thing to do. Just the fact that the one lady followed you around shows you had an impact.
It was our pleasure and honor.
Very very sweet. As a wife of a military man I love this idea!!
What a beautiful thing to do! I love that you took your little one. Veterans give so much and we don’t do enough to thank them. I’m going to look into doing something like this with my little one.
What a great experience and way for the kids (and adults, too! ) to give back. Love that you had a card party to create homemade cards to hand out. Fabulous idea!
What an amazing thing to do! I so love this! Our Veterans don’t get near enough appreciation for all they’ve sacrificed for us!
How sweet, the veterans need love too! Love this!
This brought a few tears to my eyes. That was so kind of you! The best Valentine idea ever! In my country we don’t respect veterans as they deserve and that often makes me sad. Even my husband was in the army 20 years ago when we had a war. It was awful and consequences are terrible. Although my country recovered fine, and peace rules for couple of decades now, my memories are still very fresh. Veterans were those who led my country to prosperity… I’m proud my husband was one of them (and he was only 18)…
This is a perfect activity to teach kids about love and service. What a wonderful example it would be.
What a wonderful gesture, and such a kind way to show veterans you care.
This was so nice of you. They need our help.
My husband is a Veteran so this makes me so happy to see. Such a sweet thing to do.
What a wonderful thing to do with the children. I know from having visited my grandma and mother-in-law in assisted living that there are many older people who don’t have family coming to visit, they really appreciated when I brought my then toddler with me and we would make the rounds. I bet those Valentines were proudly displayed in their rooms after receiving them.
What a thoughtful thing to do. I love that you included the kids to help them see the need to care for others.
That was such a sweet and thoughtful way to spend Valentine’s Day! 🙂
Thank you everybody for your kind and thoughtful comments. Anne and I decided today, in fact, that this will be an annual event. It is just so special! Imagine my daughter still doing it into her teens!
Such a lovely way to illustrate what Valentine’s day should be all about.
Oh. My. Gosh. What a beautiful and thoughtful thing to do.