Love Notes

Between you and me, let’s call them “love notes”. A couple of boys under 10 years old make a weird “blechish” sound & begin the throat grabbing when they hear the word “love”.

When our boys were young and learning to read we left notes for them to find. As encouragement during the time we homeschooled we would sometimes leave a message scrawled across the bathroom mirror or hidden in the refrigerator, tucked into the book they were reading. Our “principal” would chalk a message on our sidewalk, usually something about always doing your best, school is cool, to whom much is given, much is required, that sort of thing.

While living in Germany, Mr. Right would pen a letter to his family each Wednesday morning. I can vividly still see the note & drawing the day after I had studied for three months and taken and passed the European driving test. I was a stick figure with wild curly hair driving the minivan, looked like I was going fast and under the drawing were the words “Autobahn Annie”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By the time they entered public school we were in full “pack a lunch” mode. Not being super great eaters, I would try and be as creative as possible when it came to the food portion of the lunch, and the notes….yes the (love) notes.
After the boys had gone to bed, Mr. Right and I would sit down every Sunday night and write out 10 great notes. Sometimes with stickers or special paper, sometimes a funny joke or glue on a comic. Some were helpful to a shy kid, ‘I wrapped two cookies for you today. Eat one and give one to a friend”. Sometimes, when they were stubborn young teenagers, the note (void of hearts and flowers and smiley faces) would be very small and discrete. Sometimes, the note was wrapped in plastic along with some paper money tucked inside a sandwich. Hey, sometimes they were smart enough to at least look at the lunch before throwing it away! When they were old enough to drive, a reminder note would be left on the seat to buckle up and maybe a dollar or two to buy a Slurpee.

Once while driving across country during which time our “baby” had his 13th birthday, we made a BIG sign (note) that read “Happy 13th Birthday, please honk!” Oh man, he got over 80 honks, whistles and cheers. That day, the Lake Michigan Park Rangers, cheered and shouted and even got some birthday cake. I saw the sign (note) a while ago, tucked into a scrapbook.

I used window chalk to paint on the van window when son number one graduated from High School…. “Goodbye College boy, Hello Sewing Room”. When son number two graduated, I wrote “Look out California, here he comes”!

Darn kids grew up and moved away. Oh sure we sent college care packages and those always contained a card or a note. My guess is that the snacks & gift cards were more than enough to tell them we loved and missed them. I am thinking that they didn’t tape up sweet notes from their mom for others to see.

Every day, and yup, I mean every day, Mr. Right, pens me a 5 X7” love note or short letter. I get a stick figure drawing every day and a sticker once in a while. Some days, I find them taped to the bathroom vanity. Other days they are taped to my coffee cup or to my Kitchen Aid or taped to the computer keyboard. I hear everything from a thank you for a nice dinner or packing my lunch or a sweet musing, sometimes even an idea of something we could do for the upcoming weekend. I always get hearts and it is always signed with LOVE.

When the day came and I was lucky enough to tell Grandpa the news of the new grandbaby’s name, you just know I wrote a note on his back windshield! (He LOVED the news, wasn’t exactly happy with the chalk paint on his car. Graciously, he was a good sport.)

So it was with a happy heart when I woke up this morning at 2:17 am and came up with and wrote down a totally wonderful idea. Instead of sticking our noses in and giving valuable top notch advice, (once the new grandbaby has arrived), “Pop Pop & Nanners” will begin writing a book! Yes indeed. Together we are going to write a note every single day for the first 365 days. Of course it will have stick figure drawings and be full of amazing wit & wisdom. I ask you, who among us wouldn’t want to start life out with 365 love notes?

"Letters mingle souls, surely letter writing must be a part of the pursuit of happiness" J. Donne