To My Valentines...

Hazelnut: Four years ago, it was Valentine's Day and I was sad. Then I met you and I was happy. I'll never forget that moment when you climbed on my lap and I fell in love with you. I think you fell in love with me, too, because you stayed on my lap while your siblings climbed all over the place. I fell for you right then and there.

I love your little Grinch face and can't imagine life without your sweet snuggles. Thank you for bringing light into a dark time of my life. Thank you for being my constant companion through difficult and happy times alike. Thank you for keeping my toes warm every night. Thank you for being the cutest little creature that ever lived. You are by far the best Valentine's present I ever gave myself.

Harper: You are most certainly the greatest miracle in my life and on this Valentine's Day I want you to know that you are amazing. You are smart and cute and sweet and talented and full of life. Each day with you is an adventure- a magical and wonderful adventure that I cherish. People always told me that you can't comprehend parental love until you feel it for yourself. I never really understood that until I met you. When you were born, my heart/my life/my love became partly yours forever. I'm yours, Harper. I live for you and your sweet hugs/kisses/laughs.

Thank you for being my baby, for a little while at least. Thank you for changing my life and making me want to be better. Thank you for being so forgiving of me when I fall short. I know that it happens often and for that, I'm sorry. Please know that even in my moments of weakness, I still love you more than life.

There will come a time when you have a lot boys wanting to be your Valentine. If they don't treat you like the little miracle that you are, send them packing. If they don't make you feel like jumping and singing and dancing and celebrating all at the same time, tell them to take a hike and please... never forget that I was your first Valentine. I loved you first. I will love you always.

Colt: You are my Valentine- my favorite Valentine. You are my rock and my love and the sexiest person that I know. I know that marriage isn't easy and I know that at times I can be beyond frustrating. I'm sorry. It doesn't mean that I don't love you- that I don't live for you and for our sweet little family.

You came into my life and taught me that love really does exist. You patiently showed me what it means to really love someone- to stand by them and support them through thick and thin. Thank you for that. Thank you for restoring hope when hope was gone.

Thank you for accepting me in my fragile and broken state. Because of you, I'm more whole than I've ever been and I'm strong- stronger than I ever knew I could be.

Thank you for loving Harper and for calling her Lil' Bugger (which is the cutest thing ever). Thank you for pretending to be interested in Ariel and Angelina and all things princess because when you do, you make Harper feel like a princess. Thank you for working hard so that she can have a good life. I know what you sacrificed so that we could be a family and I love you for it. I love you for putting us first.

Thank you for loving me every day, even when the house is messy and the days are long. Thank you for loving me even when I wear yoga pants all day and thank you for loving me when I bake a frozen pizza and call it dinner (and yes, even when I expect you to bake the pizza yourself). Thank you for loving me when I forget to turn off the porch light and when I spend way too much money at Target. Thank you for kissing me goodbye each morning and hello each afternoon and thank you for bringing so much color into my life. Thank you for taking me to the courthouse and making me your wife. You are my favorite and I will love you forever.

Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday.

I love celebrating all of the love in my life (not just romantic). 

I hope that you have a wonderful day celebrating the love in your life.

Happy Valentine's Day