Hello friends! Nathan and I wish you the happiest Valentine's Day with those you love!

A few years back, before we got married, I made a list of the things that encompass love for me. One of my first brides, Christina, made it into a small poster for me as a gift and it hangs in my office. I'm sharing it again today, because with all the candy, flowers and chocolates, it's easy to forget all the ordinary, everyday things that go into living with a person year after year and still loving them to bits. Hey, sometimes it isn't easy! But when it's right, it's always worth it.

For me, love is about:

Truth even when it's hard - Making the small things count - Being present - Boundaries - Having a sense of self with or without them - Being better because of them - Growing together - Cooking and baking - Long mornings - Long evenings - Cleaning the bathroom unasked - Compromise - Taking your temper out of it - Trying not to be selfish - But standing up for yourself too - Standing up for them - Laughing sometimes - Crying others - Listening - Absorbing - Being kind and gentle - Laughing in the kitchen - Being apart without feeling threatened - Encouraging each other to be better and to pursue those dreams - Knowing when not to push - Making decisions together - Compliments - Surprises - Communication - Singing in the car - Remembering that they love you - And you love them too - And you should say that a lot - Because it feels good - Honoring their uniqueness - Reminding each other of the important moments - Never being cruel - Keeping special things for that person - Not giving those parts away to anyone else no matter what - Sharing time and quiet and peace - Being without an agenda - Laughing at each others jokes - Making their dreams come true - And yours too - Remembering the little things that make them happy and doing those things a lot - Sharing enemies - Sharing friends - Stretching a bit - Sometimes more than a bit - Not competing - Being spontaneous - Never minimizing a feeling or thought or wish - Comforting - Taking care of each other - Cleaning the car when they aren't looking - Turning off the phones for awhile - Not being obsessed - Letting each other breathe - Having supportive friends who love you too - Remembering to take out the trash - Finding things you can do together and apart - Remembering that each day together is a gift and what a lucky duck you are

Photos by Bambi Cantrell