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Hello Reader,

Remember when I checked "take down Christmas decor" off my to-do list a few weeks ago? Well, I couldn't bring myself to take down one last little slimline tree in my bedroom. I love the sparkly lights! So I repurposed it into a Valentine Tree instead!

It's hard to believe Valentine's is only a week away. Don't you love all the cheerful hearts and pretty flowers and chocolate candy? Something else I enjoy about this season is making Valentine-themed resources to share with readers, which is exactly what I'm doing in this week's link list.

Free resources for you this week:

• ​Valentine’s Day Trivia Quiz - how much do you really know about this holiday?
• ​Retro Valentines - old fashioned valentines, only with Bible verses instead of corny puns
• ​Valentine-Themed Gospel Tracts - so you can share the unsurpassed love of Jesus
• ​Love-Themed Coloring Pages - we have a wide variety to choose from
• ​Be My Valentine Banner - a pretty printable pennant banner for your mantle or doorway
• ​Victorian Valentines - these lovely cards feature snippets of 1 Corinthians 13
• ​No-Crumble Sugar Cookies - great for cutting into heart shapes & piping messages in icing

What we're reading this week:

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​Charlotte's Web by E.B. White My daughter and I just finished reading Charlotte's Webaloud to one another. It never fails to choke me up. On every reading, I cry over the friendship and affection Wilbur and Charlotte share for one another. I marvel over Charlotte's way with words, both written and spoken. She always knows just what to say to calm and encourage those around her. And I watch with sympathetic understanding as sweet Fern grows up and matures and begins to leave behind the childish interests that had once been so consuming. See there? I'm crying again, just thinking about this wonderful tale. It's a classic for good reason.

On the podcast this week:

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Loving Life at Home: Episode 30 ​BALANCING MARRIAGE & MOTHERHOOD​ ​ Can a woman nurture her children without neglecting her husband? Is it possible to be a loving wife and a devoted mother? How do we strike a balance between marriage and motherhood? ​ Listen Now

Progress on last week's goals:

I was able to mark off a few goals on last week's to-do list and made decent progress on the others, so I'll call it a win. I ✅ updated passports for our youngest two kids, ✅ sufficently pared down my inbox that I can see the bottom of my messages without schooling, ✅ visited family members who live in Dallas, ✅ sent a new Bible memory challenge to my kids and grandkids, and ✅ made a rough draft of my lesson plans for the coming six weeks.

The only thing I didn't do was ❌ teach a sewing class for my daughters & daughters-in-law (we decided to postpone it after another grandbaby got sick).

Personal goals for next week:

• host Galentine's dinner for fellow moms from my homeschool co-op
• paint a second stool to match the green one I refurbished for our den
• reorganize kitchen cabinets (to accommodate sons' growing meal-prep supplies)
• finish a new Scherenschnitte (cut paper) project I'm working on