It's Friday afternoon and I love it. 
And not only because it's the end of the working week, but because for our family it is the beginning of the time spent together. Just the thought that tomorrow every one of us would lay in bed longer than other days, then we would have breakfast together and would decide about the rest of the day together brings me joy and comfort. Very often, Saturdays are even busier than the other days of the week, but almost everything we do during the weekend we try to do it together.
This weekend, though, is kind of different since our province, Ontario, and two other celebrate a Family Day on Monday. This public holiday was originally created to give people a day off between New Year and Good Friday, but it also provides time for families to be together and celebrate the importance of such a unit. I love this idea, even though in the beginning it sounded strange to me, the common thoughts such as, why we have to acknowledge the significance of our families just one day of the year when we have to do it every day ( same as Valentine's day, Christmas spirit, etc) and "every Sunday is kind of a family day"..., but now, I love having a day to focus on telling my family how important they are to me and how I love every moment when we are together. I don't think I can tell them that every single day and much enough if I am not somehow reminded to do it. I also have to admit that it is such a treat to have this long weekend in the middle of February and if someone doesn't have a family, he or she may mark the day on the calendar as a "Friend Day", or "Time just for me Day", or "Reading Day" – make it special, don't miss the opportunity to appreciate what you have.

 




  


I am still not making a big deal out of this holiday, but I enjoy baking something special, visiting art exhibitions, or skating with my son and husband... Simple things, yet... in the back of our minds we know it's a family day and this helps foster the bond between us and make our family time memorable. Family bonds lead us to our beginning and guide us to our future. Knowing where I come from has helped me not to lose my spirit, to experience life fully, and to speak from my heart. My parents have always been THERE for me regardless of my downs and ups like a blurred background of a photo which really makes the subject stand out. Children learn about families from the time they spend in their own families, the time when the attention is on the person, the time when they can freely share thoughts and feelings and would be understood, for the most part (at least this was my parents genuine intention and my parents' family model - everybody speaks, sometimes it  seems nobody listens, but at the end everyone is aware of the problem and is looking for a solution).
I want my son to feel that family IS 
this unconditional love, 
this gathering over home-cooked food, 
this endless support,
comfort,
mutual nourishment,
these inherited values, 
these new traditions,
these quarrels that easily come and go,
these group hugs and circles of truth, 
these vacations during the cold winters to the warm South 
these board game evenings and doggy-park mornings...
These roses,
this cake...








... and everything that is made with love.

" Families are like fudge-mostly sweet with a few nuts"
                                 ( author unknown)






P.S. These roses are a second bloom. Floral designer Amanda Heer shares how she gives her arrangements new life and I decided to prolong the existence of my Valentine's roses. I cut the stems just below the head and put them in a deep dish filled with water. As she recommended, I added a crushed aspirin to preserved their freshness.
Aren't they charming placed so close together, holding each one's blossoms? (like a real family)




Have a sweet weekend and a wonderful Family Day, dear friend, even if you don't have a special holiday for it.
 Or if you do, share with me how you celebrate it.

            "A family is a little world created by love."


Thank you for your visit and your kind comments. I love reading them.


Cheers!


I am sharing with The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays