First lady Dr. Jill Biden surprises folks with hearts on White House lawn for Valentine’s Day

It has only been a few days since Dr. Jill Biden assumed the role of first lady, but she has already gotten to work. Ahead of Valentine's Day on Sunday, she unveiled a dozen large cut-out hearts in pink, white, and red on the White House north lawn to remind Americans across the country about what an administration under her husband President Joe Biden means. Among other things, the hearts had words such as "healing," "kindness," and "compassion" printed across them. The hearts were a complete but welcome surprise for those who happened across the lawn, Good Morning America reports.

A spokesperson for Biden released a statement regarding the Valentine's Day surprise. "Overnight, the first lady’s surprise Valentine messages to the country were installed on the north lawn for the weekend, hearkening back to the days of sharing candy hearts between friends and family," they shared. "As you may know, the first lady is known for her sense of humor, love of surprises, and celebrating traditions, especially with her family. Valentine’s Day has always been one of her favorite holidays. Sending messages of healing, unity, hope, and compassion, this is her Valentine to the country." After several years of hatred and division, this simple act of kindness has warmed citizens' hearts.

The President and first lady made a surprise appearance with cups of coffee on the White House north lawn Friday to take a look at the hearts. Speaking with reporters, Biden stated, "We hope this lifted your spirits." President Biden also shared a few words with reporters, reminding Americans to "stay strong" as the global health crisis rages on. "There is hope," he said. "There’s hope. You just have to stay strong. A lot of people have gone through unbearable suffering. They’ve lost their families, lost their children, lost their husbands, wives, moms, dads, and it’s almost unbearable. The only thing I can say to them is that they’re still in your heart. Think about them in your heart. They really are. I can tell you from experience, they’re in your heart."

The move was one of Biden's first while in the White House, and it has already exemplified the kind of leadership she plans to execute in the coming four years. She has been described by her grandchildren as a lover of pranks and "not your average grandmother." Naomi Biden, one of Bidens' grandchildren, stated in a video last summer at the Democratic National Convention, "I would say she's not your average grandmother. She's the grandmother that wakes you up at, what was it, 5 am on Christmas Eve to go SoulCycle-ing. She's a prankster, she's very mischievous. When she goes on a run, sometimes she'll find, like, a dead snake and she'll pick it up and put it in a bag, and she'll use it to scare someone."

This is not the first time Biden has planned something for Valentine's Day while in the White House. When serving as the second lady, she celebrated her first White House Valentine's Day in 2009 by painting red hearts on the windows of her husband's Vice Presidential office. He recalled on Friday, "She had taken her school kind of paint that kids put on poster boards [and] put a heart that said ‘Joe loves Jill.' None of them said ‘Jill loves Joe.’" The pair has been married for 43 years.