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Valentimes
Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 05:44PM 
TG and I exchanged valentines
Kids almost always say Valentime's Day, just like they almost always say liberry instead of library.
Our Andrew, when he was little, said glugs instead of gloves, and to this day we call them glugs.
You don't often need your glugs in Febyouary in South Carolina; it has been pleasant and, later this week, will be downright springlike, with daytime highs near eighty.
At any rate, we had our share of good times relative to the classic month-two holiday.
Special treats for special little women
Last Saturday, Erica threw a Valentine party for Dagny and three of her friends.
I call them the redheads, but their names are Aliyah, Abigail, and Skyler.
They are neighbors of Audrey's and Dagny's, and Audrey frequently brings one or all of them to church.
I was not present at Erica's party but she sent me pictures and wasn't it cute?
She is all kinds of a clever clogs, and an attentive hostess.
There was a Valentine tree in the corner
I imagine Baby Rhett got lots of attention at the festive gathering too, as the little girls all dote on him.
We didn't see much of Chad and Erica and Baby Rhett except for Sunday morning at church, because there was a death in Chad's family and on Sunday afternoon they traveled to Alabama for the funeral.
They got home last night.
On Sunday afternoon I made (for the second time in one week) a new recipe.
They are irresistibly tender, with a subtle crunch
It's ideal for those eating low-carb, but so delicious that those eating high-carb will not know the difference.
You take a number of chicken tenderloins -- let's say eight to twelve, depending on how many you're feeding -- and put them in a bowl. Douse them liberally with olive oil.
Set your oven to four hundred.
In another bowl, mix six to eight tablespoons of coconut flour with as much parmesan cheese (the Kraft green-top shaker variety is fine) as you wish (I use more rather than less), and your seasonings.
TG and I took a selfie while waiting for Audrey and Dagny
(I recommend creole seasoning plus kosher salt and coarse-ground black pepper, but you do you.)
Fix up a large foil-lined baking sheet with a cooling rack on top.
Dredge the olive-oil-coated chicken pieces in the breading and place the pieces on the cooling rack.
Bake for about one hour, turning the chicken over at the half-hour mark.
You will not regret doing any of this because the result is pretty spectacular given how little effort goes into it.
Audrey was wondering where in Dagny's room the baboon would fit
Serve the tenderloins with dipping sauces. Since those tend to be packed with sugar and therefore high in carbs, I make a zero-carb dipping sauce.
It's got three ingredients: Duke's mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, and Splenda. Just eyeball the amounts.
The result is smooth, creamy, tangy, and sweet. It's a good match for the chicken tenderloins.
Let me know if you try it.
Meanwhile Ember received a stuffed horse. Photo courtesy Brittany Weber.
On Monday, TG and I decided to treat Audrey and Dagny to an early Valentine's Day dinner.
Early in the day, that is.
We met at the restaurant at about four thirty and had a pleasant time together.
Before I go, I want to tell you about what happened on Sunday evening, after services at our church.
There was a table set up in the front, over to the side, laden with small heart-shaped boxes of chocolates.
Erica's table was festive and welcoming
Other treats were on display too.
At the end of the service, our pastor announced that each child was to receive one of the heart-shaped boxes, and teenagers and young adults were to take the other treats.
There was also a raffle of sorts, but not the kind that involves money. That would be gambling.
Tickets were on the candy table, and kids of all ages were advised to take one. On each ticket was a number.
Bethany and Dagny
Sitting in a chair on the platform was a giant stuffed monkey. The pastor called him a baboon.
He (the stuffed monkey/baboon, not our pastor) wore a hoodie emblazoned with the sentiment WILD ABOUT YOU.
The giant toy came with an equally giant Valentine card.
Pastor said that shortly after the service, when all who were eligible had had an opportunity to claim both their Valentine candy and their numbered ticket, he would choose a number from a can and read it aloud.
Alexis and Dagny
If the number he read aloud matched the number on your ticket, you won the baboon.
Since Pastor had invited senior citizens to also get a ticket and try for the toy, I went up and got one for TG.
(I am not yet a senior citizen, but he is.)
Dagny picked up her candy and her ticket, and we went back to stand around near where we sit, to wait.
Paying attention to the little things shows that you care
It wasn't long before Pastor read out the number, and one of the teenaged girls in our youth group won the baboon.
We all applauded because Bethany is a true sweetheart, loved by all.
But what did she do? She took the baboon and the giant Valentine from the pastor, turned around, and came back to where we were standing.
Then she gave the baboon and the card to Dagny.
The small things won't always be small
There were a few wet eyes round about, as it was a beautiful gesture, and Dagny was so touched and thrilled.
I took a picture of her with Bethany, who insisted that she would rather Dagny have the prize, than keep it for herself.
There is another young lady in our church to whom Dagny has become attached. Her name is Alexis.
Every Sunday evening service, during the time just before the sermon when we sing the first verse of Amazing Grace and greet one another and shake hands or hug, Dagny leaves her mother's pew and goes to sit on the other side of the auditorium, with Alexis.
Make someone happy and you will be happy too
Since Alexis is a prime example of a Christian young lady, we are grateful that Dagny looks up to her.
Influence is nothing to be taken lightly.
So when Alexis came to hug Dagny and congratulate her, I took their picture too.
I read an interesting quote some years ago. It went something like, be the sort of woman that you needed as a girl.
That's solid.
Dagny said she was sure the baboon's hoodie would fit her
I'm happy to say that, like Bethany and Alexis, my daughters and my daughter-in-law are quick to reach out to girls, and are ready and eager to help in any way they can.
In the case of all of the young women I've mentioned, their actions, more often than not, go unsung and maybe even unnoticed by most.
But God sees, and those who matter know, and that is enough.
Besides. Much of what is touted as goodness today is not worth noticing, much less celebrating.
Kind words and gestures take an instant but last a lifetime
But a good and giving spirit is cherished and remembered throughout life by those on the receiving end of the kind word or gesture.
I know that my readers are women like these, and most likely their daughters (and sons) are too, and that they know others who actively practice unselfish giving of themselves and their time.
If you want to brag on them, do so in the comments.
And that is all for now.
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Happy Tuesday
Reader Comments (17)
I love Valentine’s Day, so enjoyed your post. What a sweet young lady to give her prize to Dagny. The kind gesture will be remembered every 2/14 from here on out. Wonderful!
I make chicken fingers similar to your recipe. We like to use a bbq mixed with mayo as a dipping sauce. Learned that trick years ago from the Ground Round restaurant, if you remember or had those. It’s also the place I went on my first date with my now husband.
Such a sweet post! First of all though - what has happened to Ember? She's gone and grown on me! She is so cute and I bet she's the apple of her Daddy's eye!
I love the Valentine's Party. What a nice thing to do, and she did it so well.
The baboon story is sweet . It's such a joy to see girls like those two that Dagny looks up to, because we are bombarded with the other type in the news.
@Bijoux ... YES I remember the Ground Round! What a sweet memory, your first date. And that sauce sounds like fire! I am always looking for ways to eat low carb, and I had a big bag of coconut flour so looked for a recipe using it, and found this one and it's just so wonderful. And yes I do believe that Dagny will never forget either Bethany or her kind, unselfish gesture. xoxo
@Mari ... Well, Miss Ember is two years and two months, and she is going on ten! At least! Babbling constantly and SO into horses! Just so precious and beautiful. I can't wait to get my hands on her in a few weeks when we go to Oklahoma for Andrew's wings ceremony! And yes let's talk about REAL virtue for a change! xoxo
What a heartwarming Valentine story! Your pastor sure has a creative imagination. The table setting is gorgeous, she takes this after you. I love how I can see everything you are seeing through your sunglass lenses!
@Ginny ... haaha yes you sure can! Funny thing about reflections. While we were eating our dinner, I began to notice the too-bright setting sun stabbing my eyeballs as I was seated facing the window. I did not notice anything amiss about that but TG suddenly said WHY is the sun over there ... that's east! And Audrey and I both kind of laughed at him and said, the sun sets in the west so that has to be west! But he insisted that it was wrong and we were chuckling but he got up and went over to the window and ascertained that what was blinding us was the sun reflecting in a glass-clad hospital that is across the interstate from the restaurant. He was right: the sun was setting behind us and not in front of us. xoxo
Loved all of this post, Jenny, from the party to the pictures to the celebration to Dagny getting the baboon from Bethany to Dagny having young women like Alexis in her life, to it all! There is still goodness in this world and I'm glad you wrote (write) about it because we need to be remembered that there is still goodness in this world and kindhearted young people reaching out to help others and to connect with the young ones so to speak! It is heart warming!!
That chicken sounds delicious! I'm going to copy it out and have my hubby make it sometime. Will let you know!
You and your family are truly blessed :) But I think you know that and I think you are grateful for it :)
Cute selfie of you and TG!
betty
betty
Good post. That looks like the perfect setting for a Valentine's Day party. What a wonderful and heart melting moment at the church. May the rest of your week be filled with joy.
The Valentine party looks like SO much fun. She thought of every detail and it shows. I too have a 'holiday' tree that I decorate for all the seasons and holidays. It's a lot smaller than hers but we love it. The chicken looks amazing. Oven 'frying' is the way to go to avoid calories but still have the taste and flavor.
I loved the story of the baboon and your church family. It's always nice to hear about women lifting women or girls up. That is what it is all about.
Enjoy the rest of your week Jenny!!
@betty ... you are correct; I am most grateful! xoxo
@LB ... and yours as well! xoxo
@Lori ... oh yes I hope the big guy makes this chicken! You will love it. xoxo
I enjoyed your Valentine's post. The power Christ centered and positive women have on young ladies, makes a huge difference. Praying for more of just that!!!
@Carla ... Amen sister! xoxo
That picture of Audrey is priceless... -giggles-
Sweet gesture, to give it to Dagny. Yes, a lovely young woman is a wonderful model/friend, for a little girl. :-)
You all, do not let any Holiday go unnoticed! -smile-
Gentle hugs...
Mari-Nanci
@Mari-Nanci ... haha no we don't that is the truth. We are the celebratory type! And yes, Audrey's expression cracked me up too. That child's room is already stuffed with toys!!! xoxo
To give from the heart is a blessing to the giver and to the receiver. Erica has the touch - every detail is wonderful. Her home is lovely. That baboon is huge - I can see why Audrey is contemplating where it will live! How can Ember have grown so much? Last time we saw her, she was just a toddler - now a little girl. That's a good sweetheart selfie of you and TG.
@Barb ... Yes it is a blessing to both the giver and the recipient! You are right. Dagny was so touched by Bethany's gesture, as were we all. Erica does do it up right, doesn't she? She has the knack. That baboon is just sitting in Dagny's room right now with no real place to settle. I said they need to hang him in a sling from a hook in the ceiling. And my Ember! Two years and nearly three months old. I can't wait to hold her in my arms in just a few days! xoxo
Had to scroll back and check those sunglasses reflection mentioned by an observant reader. It was heart-warming to get a glimpse of females grown and growing who are filled with loving attitudes and action and are involved in a loving church. Blessings!
@Linda ... Agreed! Indeed it is. And it's great to see you again! Hope you're having a great day! xoxo