Valentine's Day

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Alright, I will admit that Valentine's Day can get pretty cheesy. However, I love that there are so many cute decorations, you can give valentine's to your friends, and there are lots of chocolates and flowers around.

I'm sure many of you have some of the same memories of Valentine's Day that I have.  One thing that I can remember, is my mom taking me to go get my Valentine's Day Cards for all of my classmates. And of course, the rule was you had to write one for everyone in your class. Then, on the day of Valentine's Day in class, we would decorate our little "Valentine's Mail Boxes" and have a party with heart shaped cookies and go around to deliver our cards.  

I know that I wrote about it last year, in another post called "Valentine's Day", so why not write about it again, just a year later, right?

The biggest thing in my mind about Valentine's Day, is the fact that this year marks the 20 years that I have been adopted!  20 years ago, although I don't remember it, my parents and I met for the very first time in an orphanage in Nanning, Guangxi, China.  Alongside them, was another couple from our "sister church" adopting my best friend Annie, and another lady adopting a girl named Molly. 

I honestly can't remember what my life would be like had I not been adopted.  So instead of calling Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day, my family calls it "Gotcha' Day".  Every year when I was growing up, on "Gotcha' Day", we would celebrate by going to dinner. It was honestly kind of strange for me during my first year of college on Valentine's Day, because I wasn't with my parents.  But I am so thankful for the family that God has placed me in and with where He has me now!

Just a few photos I found in my dad's office this past summer.