V-Day. sounds so similar to D-Day.  It is a day that I dread.  A day that is celebrated with spouses and date nights and small tokens to show love to one another.  It is my 2nd V-Day without Doug.  Before the boys were born Doug and I would rent a cabin in Gatlinburg and spend Valentine’s Day in the Smokey Mountains (we did this for about 5 years).  We didn’t always go out and buy big gifts in our 17 years of V-Days, but its been said that in a relationship every day should be celebrated as such.  To show each other your love on a daily basis.  Then the boys were born and my Valentine’s grew from 1 to 3.  And now that number had dwindled to 2.  And I am forever thankful for those 2.  But would do anything to have Doug back to celebrate with.  So instead of a low key Valentine’s Sunday this year at home with all 3 of my loves, I will celebrate with a hole in my heart.  I have ordered my own chocolates since Doug isn’t here to bring me something.  I will visit his grave this week and have a date with him there.  I miss every single thing about him.  The good and the sort-of bad.  The comedy and the long hours at work.  The love and pride he had for his family.  I still hear stories of him doting on his family daily to others.  Pulling up pictures on his cell phone to show the latest pics of the boys or a silly video he recorded of them.  Good gracious I still miss his silly texts throughout the day, a common one being 143, short for I love you.  So 143 Doug.  143 Forever.

1 Corinthians 13:7  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

This was us in Gatlinburg Valentines 2009, our last visit before the boys were born:

These 2 pics were from a Valentine photoshoot of the boys (the pic with Doug was a behind the scenes shot):

This past Friday was the Mother/Son Valentines Dance at the boys school, and here are a few pics from it.  :