Happy Valentine's Day! Even though I'm not the type to go gaga over the Hallmark holiday, I can't help but think of my other half. My husband is my partner, my best friend, my confidant, my number one supporter, and my one true love. We've been married a little over two years now, but we've been together for nearly a decade. And like any couple, we have our ups and downs but without him, I'm not sure where I'd be.

We met in 2006. Out of all the places in the world, and being that my husband, Gilles, is French, we happened to first cross paths with one another at a French brasserie restaurant. Oh, the irony! But I'm a firm believer in that there's a reason and rhyme to everything. Think about it. Do you know how many variation of choices you could've, would've, should've made in your life? And with that, the slightest change in your decision might've altered your entire world. I never would've met my husband had I not gathered enough courage to move away from everything and everyone I'd have ever known and come to New York. The same goes for him. I believe that all our decisions and choices have brought us here today, even one slightest difference in seconds of chance meetings, of paths taken, of what went wrong - what went right. It all add up to what is. Our lives would be significantly different had we lived it any other way. It's quite a miracle we ever met at all.

When my husband proposed to me, it was a grand overture. I'm an avid fan of the opera and I love going to Lincoln Center every chance I can get to see all the amazing performances. But on one particular night, where we went to see Puccini's Tosca, we were in the parterre section, which were incredible seats but I found to be a bit extravagant for a regular date night. It was a late show, and because we hadn't had dinner before, I was now starving! Instead of booking it right outta there and heading straight to a nearby restaurant, he instead, insisted on taking a few snapshots of me with the opera room and stage in the background. Feeling a bit touristy after a few takes, I was beginning to wonder why he was taking what seemed to be an endless amount of photos!

Just as I was about to tell him I was hungry, he got down on one knee and said, "by the way darling, would you care to marry me?" I was so shocked, that as a woman of many words, this time around I was completely speechless! He certainly fooled me. I started to cry before leaping into his arms and somewhat was able to vocalize the word, 'yes' to the man of my dreams. It's still to this day one of the most touching moments of my life. 😊❤️

We hope you are able to spend the day with the one you love! Remember, your Valentine should be your Valentine every day. Not just because of some overrated marked-up holiday! Cherish the time you have together because you never know when that time might be up. Gilles, my beloved, you are a man of so many things. And though you drive me absolutely mad sometimes, I love you more than I could ever possibly put down in words. Thank you for inspiring me every single day to be a better person than I was the day before. You are my everything and we are so lucky to have found one another. Je t'aime très fort, mon Gushy Bear. Always & Forever. XXX.

Love & xx's