Just a couple days ago something extraordinary ‘happened’ to me, that I want to tell you about.
It was heartwarming, so appropriate for Valentine’s Day – can’t help being a romantic.

I was raised in a wonderful place in the Turtle Mountains of North Dakota at a little country store, Kelvin, just 4 miles south of the US-Canadian International Peace Gardens and 9 miles north of Dunseith, pop. 800! We, kids, were the Dunseith Dragons, “Blue & White Dynamite, Fight Team Fight.” Yes, I’m reminiscing way back to my formative years where a “man’s” handshake was his word, where the work ethic was not asking, “what’s in it for me,” but rather, “what can I do for you,” where the community came together for what we called a ‘building bee’ if someone lost a home or barn or store to a fire, where we could wander the town without fear or supervision and swim in the lake without life guards (luckily, no one drowned). Of course those were simpler times then everywhere, but I cherish my childhood where Turtle Mountain Memories are irreplaceable. A huge piece of my heart lies in the Turtle Mountains and Dunseith, especially Kelvin.

I’m thankful for the Face Book link and Gary Stokes for consciously reconnecting me to that time and place and to those good people. I joined Face Book just last weekend – had my arm twisted, heels dug-in not to go that route, but I have to say it was a very good thing I joined, because Gary Stokes, the Dunseith Alumni guru with a mighty following for his email Blog-blasts, found me and lured me in. He then blasted my unassuming response to that message he sent to me literally all over the place!

Little Valentines have been blowing my way the past few days through direct emails and website contacts reawakening in me tender memories, friendships, and ties. What’s more, many people are interested in writing a bio-vignette about their mothers and sending it to me – others have subscribed to my Blog feed – Wow! I hope they know I feel that the inspiration they say I’ve given them to write a “Mother Memoir” is truly a gift they’re giving me.

Harking back, once again, to school days, when Valentines were a really big deal, I remember we were allowed to build elaborate hearts and houses and chambers to place on the ledge under the windows inside our classrooms, hoping to attract as many Valentines as possible. It was a creative time filled with hopes for love and friendship, as well as dashed dreams, if Mr. or Mrs. Right-for-me didn’t deliver the longed-for “Be Mine.” Politically correct wasn’t even dreamed-up back then, I don’t think; we weren’t expected to give a Valentine to everyone in the class, and each of us knew we wouldn’t get one from everyone else, either. Most of us had our feelings hurt occasionally, but isn’t that real life? Expectations weren’t such that we believed attention, awards, friends, college, or jobs were a given – we knew we had to work for what we got, in return we learned to value what we did receive.

I value my Valentines past, present, and future. Thanks for being in my life. I used to think online cards were not sincere enough or the easy way – but I roll with the times and blogs.
I sincerely want you to Be Mine, Valentines . . . xo