Readers give shout-out to their favorite Valentine

In celebration of Valentine's Day, some Branson Globe readers took a moment to express their love for their favorite Valentine.

Jennifer's Valentine is her husband, Ben. "He found me again, after 24 years, and it was as if no time had passed," Jennifer explained. "We got married a year and a half later."

Kandice shared, "My husband, Walt, and I met in a parking lot. Neither of us were interested in marriage at all. Then, 27 days later, we were married. We are going on 27 years now. I was 27 and he was 28. We married on the 28th. Definitely not for everyone, but I wouldn't want to be in this world with anyone else."

Angela praised her boyfriend, Joe. Said Angela, "Somehow he manages to put up with me being chatty, stubborn and occasionally running on pure caffeine and chaos. And he still chooses to stay. Honestly, he deserved a medal. In all seriousness, no one has ever treated me the way he does. He is patient, steady, honest and kind in a way that feels rare. He shows love in the little everyday moments—morning coffee together, checking in just to hear my voice, making me laugh when I am stressed, and always making sure I feel safe, respected and cared for. He's my best friend, my calm in the storm and proof that real love isn't loud or flashy. It is consistent, genuine and shows up every single day. Life isn't perfect and neither are we, but he chooses me every day and that means everything to me. I am incredibly lucky he's mine."

Said Tiffany, "My extra special Valentine is Ryan. We are getting married on the 14th. He has remained my rock through everything."

Reader Kshe says, "My Valentine is my fiancé, Brandon. We were first loves at 14. We parted ways and life happened. He found me again 30 years later in our 40s, and here we are."

Ben noted, "Mine is my girlfriend, Jessica. She has been with me through thick and thin. She will always have a place in my heart."

Said Pliler, "My husband. He is 36. I am 57. We have been together for 10 years. He keeps me young."

"My Valentine is my fiancé, Ethan," said Cloe.  "I met him when I was 17 and he's been my calm in the worst of storms ever since. We've been through so much together and it's only made us stronger.  We're now expecting a baby girl in May and are both so excited to start a new journey together."

Brandi shared, "My Valentine is my son. It's always been him and I since day one. He's my world. He's been through so much at his young age and still has the best heart of gold."

Said Moriah, "My Valentine is my husband. We got married after only knowing each other for six months. We are four years into our marriage. Our anniversary is this month, actually. I just recently had a newborn. I have two toddlers already. He supports me so much. I don't know what I would do without him. He has helped me strengthen my relationship in God. He reminds me of my beauty every day when I'm down. He helps me take care of the house chores as well as the toddlers. I get to sleep in in the morning because of him. He always sees the positive things when I get stressed or overwhelmed. He has always been able to make me laugh in a bad situation. He is my rock and I wouldn't change anything."

Talitha shared, "My Valentine would have to be JoJo. He was there for me and my kids when their father stepped out of their lives and wanted to be free from kids. My kids all have PTSD, depression and ADHD, all because they were abused by their real father and JoJo stepped in and took on five kids that only wanted a father figure. He has protected me and my children from abusers. He is an amazing man!" 

Lisa noted, "My husband has stood by me with stage 3 breast cancer and mastectomy. When I finally finished chemo, radiation and five years of aftercare medicine and doctor follow-ups, I got sarcoidosis. It is a very rare disease that I have in my lungs, spleen and several lymph nodes. I have bulging discs in my spine and I am very weak. At no point has he thought twice about taking care of me. He does the shopping, laundry, cleaning and cooking. He makes sure he takes me to all of my doctor's appointments. He has never looked at me as less than beautiful and treats me like a queen."

Said Kim, "I have so much to praise about mine, for sure. Our story is very twisted and complex. I love him with every ounce of my being. I have to say, though I'm not a completely religious person, that my God has always been there for me—when my husband and I were separated, when we lost my daughter in a car accident, etc. So many tragedies. The person, or the being, I should say, that was always there for me was God. He brought us back together, He healed us through our losses, He never forsakes us. He was always there and He always brought us back together."

Amanda has an excellent outlook on the holiday. She shared, "This year, my Valentine is myself. I've learned that love isn't only about romance. It's about healing, growth and showing up for yourself, even on the hard days. Choosing myself means choosing health, honesty and a future built on self-respect. I'm proud of how far I've come and that feels worth celebrating!"