by Angela Pagniello

Created on: March 01, 2010   Last Updated: March 02, 2010

There are many ways the term "love" is thrown around. We love our children, our brothers and sisters and our parents. We love our spouse (usually). For me, love is those surprise flowers just to say I am thinking of you. The strong hands that wipe away the tears you cry over absolutely nothing. The arms that hold you and tell you it is going to be OK, even when you know its not. The look you give each other from across the room that secret language that says "I love you". Its being swept off your feet once in a while. Its romance. Its laughter, its getting up when you are broken and working through the everyday problems instead of giving up.

For me, there were two moments when I knew it was love. The first was Christmas of 2004. I had been dating my boyfriend for 4 years now and truly in my heart believed he was going to pop the questions any time now. I had even convinced myself it would be Christmas. What perfect timing would Christmas be. So on that day I was happier than a child when I found a little square box hidden in the branches of our old fir tree. I opened it rapidly, ripping of the paper into shreds that fell to the ground. I opened it and was about to shout out the words "YES!" at the top of my lungs and realized upon looking in, that he had gotten me a family ring with both our stones and our 3 children's stones in it. I tried to hide my disappointment and put on a smile and graciously accepted my  new ring.

Along came Valentines day, and my husband (my boyfriend) at the time is about as romantic as a wooden door so I didn't get excited over it. I had over the years of boyfriends and disappointments gotten to LOATHE Valentines day. I referred to it as a Hallmark holiday and usually spent the day depressed in my room stuffing my face full of chocolates, then complaining about how fat they were making me. This particular year, my boyfriend surprised me with the announcement we were going to take a weekend trip to Niagara Falls. I thought it was wonderful and was actually shocked at the gesture. He never, ever planned anything for Valentines day, or any day for that matter. So I was all excited and when the day came I distinctly remember it being a warmer than normal February. We were driving and I was basking in the glorious sun that was shining through my window. Feet on the dashboard.......this felt like him. "I could live like this" I thought. Upon arriving at the swankiest hotel on the strip in Niagara Falls we went up to our room which

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