my valentine for {cv}.

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm a hopeless romantic at heart, so I enjoy this holiday. In light of Operation Spending Freeze, {cv} and I set a limit on our gift giving of fifteen dollars! Cards excluded, we decided that we should only create {or purchase} something special. {cv} admitted he was a little nervous about this one, but I have full faith he'll knock it out of the park. I opted to make {cv}'s gift: a series of five prints  with song lyrics we love! They may not all make sense to you, but they will to {cv}...

SONG: Look After You by The Fray

STORY: Right at the beginning of our long distance years, I studied in France. Our schedules were crazy--{cv} was starting a new job and I was batty with school. My soundtrack that summer was The Fray's How to Save a Life album--and I shared the love of this album with {cv}. Whenever I hear Look After You, I go right back to those early days, when he was beginning to feel like my home. Corny, I know.

SONG: For Once In My Life by Michael Bublé

STORY: Back in 2007, I gave {cv} an iPod for Valentine's Day--and engraved it with "for once in my life". This song has always been one of our favorites--and the lyrics ring true for us :) We even picked this as the first dance song for our wedding! Though we loved the Stevie Wonder version, Michael Bublé slowed it down a bit for us. It was the perfect song for that memory.

SONG: Golden Slumbers by The Beatles
STORY: At the end of the summer of 2006, I nannied for a few weeks before heading back to Georgetown. After that first distance summer {and a six-hour time difference}, it was such a relief to just be in the same time zone as {cv}. Those weeks were long, but he made them better with little songs to help me through the rough nights. This song from The Beatles is one of those he shared--and it will always bring me smiles. {Paul McCartney even played it at the Grammys on Sunday...I almost died!}

SONG: Be Mine by David Gray
STORY: The week before our wedding {in 2010}, we had the privilege of seeing David Gray live in Providence. These first few lyrics in the song almost prompted us to make a last-minute change to our first dance song. However, the rest of the song wasn't so happy, so we kept our original plan ;) {cv} just loved these lyrics, so I hope he'll like this print too...

SONG: Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel
STORY: Flashback to that first distance summer in France {yet again!}...{cv} used to brighten my day by sending iTunes gifts my way. One week, he sent along the Greatest Hits from Billy Joel. This song was on that album--and made me think of the precious, little Italian restaurant across the street from my French host mother's house. I dreamed of going there one day with {cv}, but I thought it was a pipe dream. Just shy of four years later, we finally made it to that little Italian restaurant in Tours...on our honeymoon :)

Was that a sappy post or what? I don't care though--{cv} deserves the love. I truly count my blessings every day that God placed him in my life six and a half years ago. I love him with every ounce of my heart...and always will. I can't wait to see what other songs inspire us down the line :)

Do you have any songs which bring you back to a special place? Do share!