For our first Valentine’s Day together (last Valentine’s Day was just before we were engaged, and Paul was in Philadelphia waiting to fly out and propose :)), Paul and I were both terribly sick! We’re still pretty out of commission, but we did our best to still celebrate the day!

I made a Valentine out of cookies. This is the first time I used my cake decorating bags from Nikki (thanks, Nikki!), and they turned out ok, even for my first time piping anything :) If you can’t read them, three say “I love Paul” and another two make “Be mine.” I’m sure there is a better way to color frosting than straight-up Red #40, but I told Lentil (baby’s name for now, as dubbed by Papa) not to eat any of it, so it’s ok. Lentil is very obedient already.

Paul managed to outdo me yet again, even with both of us so sick. He made me a delicious dinner, and suprised me afterwards with lots of (super dark!) chocolate, a homemade card, and these lovely garnet earrings:

I love you, sweetheart! Happy Valentine’s Day!

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In other Valentine’s Day news, I got the [second- --Paul]sweetest Valentine ever in the mail yesterday - a Valentine’s birth announcement for little Annelise Joy Curran! For those who don’t know, Annelise is the newest baby for the family I nannied for the whole year before our wedding. The Currans are dear friends, and the four older girls were my flower girls. Annelise is the much wished for, and VERY much prayed for seventh child in this faithful family, a child we also prayed for so often in her first delicate weeks, after her mama had several babies go to heaven through miscarriage. We are so glad Annelise is here safe and sound! I wish I had a picture I could post, but I assure you she is the sweetest, bright-eyed, chubby-cheeked little baby you’ve ever seen, and from the stack of pictures her mama sent with it, it is obviously that her six older brothers and sisters just adore her! Annelise and her family are especially in our prayers today, as she was baptized today!

O God, our heavenly Father, who lovest mankind, and art most merciful and compassionate, have mercy upon thy servant Annelise on this day of her baptism, for whom we humbly pray thee, and commend to thy gracious care and protection. Be thou, O God, her guide and guardian in all her endeavors, lead her in the path of thy truth, and draw her nearer to thee, that she may lead a godly and righteous life in thy love and fear, doing thy will in all things. Give her grace that she may be temperate, industrious, diligent, devout, and charitable. Defend her against the assaults of the enemy, and grant her wisdom and strength to resist all temptation and corruption of this life, and direct her in the way of salvation, through the merits of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the intercessions of His Holy Mother and thy blessed saints. Amen.

Congratulations and many blessed years, to Annelise, her parents and godparents, and her brothers and sisters!

Since I don’t have a photo of Annelise to post yet, I’ll post one of her sweet big sisters and I:

And actually, Annelise is in this photo, but she’s hidden in her mama’s tummy :)