My Valentine

Every Valentine's Day I get a special Valentine in the mail from a man who loves me so much.  My Daddy.  What makes it extra special is that I know my dad goes shopping, picks out the card, and even addresses the envelope himself.  One would have to know my dad in order to understand the complexity and motivation all of that entails for him.  He is not one to do anything for himself.

His cards always make me giggle.  Usually they are are meant for a juvenile daughter as seen below:

Or the Disney Princesses:

In his eyes, I will always be his little girl.  This year, though, the card was a little different.  It was meant for a more mature reader, but it was meant for a daughter to give to her father, not the other way around:

Either way you look at it, the message is still the same, and the "error" makes it all that more endearing.  I save each of his Valentine's cards as they are probably the only thing that has been given to me by him and him alone.  He does it without any help or coaxing from my mom.  I do believe he even places the stamp on the envelope and places the card in the mailbox himself.  And for those reasons, it makes my Valentine's Day cards from my dad, the most important cards I will ever receive. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

After Hours "Rafting"

How many people are lucky enough to have a job that allows them to go Rafting at 10:30 at night (and get paid for it).  Don't tell my boss, but I am in that fortunate group of folks. "Rafting", you ask? "That's right", say I.  Rafting... or dancing... or kick ball... or mending shark tanks... or exercising reflexes on the ever intimidating Reflex Ridge. 

The Unit just acquired an XBox Kinect, and I'm not sure who has been enjoying it more:  the kids or the staff. 

Once all the children are nestled all snug in their beds, the staff come together for the best hour of the work day.  Its a great team building and bonding time for us.  We get to genuinely laugh and experience fun all the while getting paid.  Not to mention burning off all the stress eating calories consumed throughout the course of a shift.  Of course our fun is interrupted every 15 minutes to check on the kids ensuring there is no hanky panky going on (but as we know, those tricky teenagers can perform hanky panky under blankets during a movie with staff right in front them :) )

The real benefit of that final hour of the night is not solely for fun and laughs.  Its a time to let go of all the sad stories we are immersed in each and every day.  A time to escape the world of suicide, acting out, and self injury. Instead of bringing home all the pain, we are able to leave it on the River Rapids or at Reflex Ridge. 

That XBox is a built in therapy "necessary" for both the patients and the staff.  One I intend to take full advantage of.  Just don't tell my boss.