http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718 My Valentine&rsquo;s love story may be different from others, but I know it is the most important love I could have ever found or ever hoped to ask for. Twenty-five years ago on Valentine&rsquo;s Day, I met the most important love of my life. He had jet black hair and the most beautiful eyes of anyone I had ever met.&nbsp; He looked at me and I knew, from that moment on that I would never leave him and he would never leave me. Our relationship grew and he was the most important thing to me&hellip;although I didn&rsquo;t make things easy on him. I was addicted to drugs and alcohol for most of our relationship and that became more important than him. He, being the strong and wonderful man that he is, stood by me, through EVERYTHING.&nbsp; He was stronger and showed more bravery than any other man, or person, I had ever met. I still can&rsquo;t believe to this day that I never lost him and he never turned his back on me. For this I can never be grateful enough that God blessed me with him. He is everything to me and I will never be able to make amends for all of the mistakes I made with him, but I know in my heart that he knows if I could go back and change everything, I would. He has managed to become this amazing man and an amazing father, in spite of everything I put him through. I can honestly say that no other man could or would ever mean to me what this man does. This man I am speaking of is my son, Christopher. He was born on Valentine&rsquo;s Day, 1982. That was the most important day of my young life. He helped me raise his little brother and he gave me a grandson who is the joy of my life. I have been clean and sober for two years now and I thank God everyday that my son loves me in spite of myself. And that is my Valentine&rsquo;s Day love story. Happy Birthday Christopher! I had lived in Tehachapi for 28 years and moved to San Diego to start my new journey to recovery, but my son and his family still live there. I still call Tehachapi home. My Valentine&rsquo;s love story may be different from others, but I know it is the most important love I could have ever found or ever hoped to ask for. Twenty-five years ago on Valentine&rsquo;s Day, I met the most important love of my life. He had jet black hair and the most beautiful eyes of anyone I had ever met.&nbsp; He looked at me and I knew, from that moment on that I would never leave him and he would never leave me. Our relationship grew and he was the most important thing to me&hellip;although I didn&rsquo;t make things easy on him. I was addicted to drugs and alcohol for most of our relationship and that became more important than him. He, being the strong and wonderful man that he is, stood by me, through EVERYTHING.&nbsp; He was stronger and showed more bravery than any other man, or person, I had ever met. I still can&rsquo;t believe to this day that I never lost him and he never turned his back on me. For this I can never be grateful enough that God blessed me with him. He is everything to me and I will never be able to make amends for all of the mistakes I made with him, but I know in my heart that he knows if I could go back and change everything, I would. He has managed to become this amazing man and an amazing father, in spite of everything I put him through. I can honestly say that no other man could or would ever mean to me what this man does. This man I am speaking of is my son, Christopher. He was born on Valentine&rsquo;s Day, 1982. That was the most important day of my young life. He helped me raise his little brother and he gave me a grandson who is the joy of my life. I have been clean and sober for two years now and I thank God everyday that my son loves me in spite of myself. And that is my Valentine&rsquo;s Day love story. Happy Birthday Christopher! I had lived in Tehachapi for 28 years and moved to San Diego to start my new journey to recovery, but my son and his family still live there. I still call Tehachapi home. en-us Wow, what a tribute to your son.&nbsp; I too am so grateful and thankful for my oldest son.&nbsp; He is only 7 (almost) but I truly would not be here if wasn't the wonderful &quot;Mistake&quot;.&nbsp; When I found out I was pregnant, I thought it was the worst thing that could have ever happen to me.&nbsp; But it was the ONLY thing that could have happen to me.&nbsp; I had no path in life, his father wasn't a &quot;committed&quot; relationship, I was on the verge of suicide (not for the first time), I just didn't give a rats behind about anything especially myself.&nbsp; And now I am pregnant?&nbsp; I had finally found a purpose.&nbsp; He was my crossroads.&nbsp; And I too have made plenty mistakes, which is why I am no longer in Tehachapi, but he was never one of them.&nbsp; I just can't wait to see what type of man he will be.&nbsp; I will give me as much pride and joy as your son has Jewels I'm sure.&nbsp; Thank you for reminding me of how great I have it now.&nbsp; What a wonderful gift I have.&nbsp; And I am luckier than some, I now have TWO greatest gifts.&nbsp; http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57598 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57598 Wow, what a tribute to your son.&nbsp; I too am so grateful and thankful for my oldest son.&nbsp; He is only 7 (almost) but I truly would not be here if wasn't the wonderful &quot;Mistake&quot;.&nbsp; When I found out I was pregnant, I thought it was the worst thing that could have ever happen to me.&nbsp; But it was the ONLY thing that could have happen to me.&nbsp; I had no path in life, his father wasn't a &quot;committed&quot; relationship, I was on the verge of suicide (not for the first time), I just didn't give a rats behind about anything especially myself.&nbsp; And now I am pregnant?&nbsp; I had finally found a purpose.&nbsp; He was my crossroads.&nbsp; And I too have made plenty mistakes, which is why I am no longer in Tehachapi, but he was never one of them.&nbsp; I just can't wait to see what type of man he will be.&nbsp; I will give me as much pride and joy as your son has Jewels I'm sure.&nbsp; Thank you for reminding me of how great I have it now.&nbsp; What a wonderful gift I have.&nbsp; And I am luckier than some, I now have TWO greatest gifts.&nbsp; Jewels, This story should have won the prize! The judges must be the same ones that gave all of the Grammy awards to the Dixie Chicks last night! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57608 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57608 Jewels, This story should have won the prize! The judges must be the same ones that gave all of the Grammy awards to the Dixie Chicks last night! <p>Blaze, LOL.&nbsp; This is why I love this site...humor even with serious subjects.&nbsp; Thanks for laughs and smiles.</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57612 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57612 <p>Blaze, LOL.&nbsp; This is why I love this site...humor even with serious subjects.&nbsp; Thanks for laughs and smiles.</p> thanks blaze...i kind of thought it was a good one, but you know, traditional true love always wins out! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57666 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57666 thanks blaze...i kind of thought it was a good one, but you know, traditional true love always wins out! Ya but the winning story wasn't unique. Every marriage started with a first time meeting. That's all that story was. Girl rides bike to gas station, meets boy, lives happily ever after. Cool story but the basic premise could be applied generically to most marriages. Like my marriage. My buddy wanted to introduce me to a new girl at work that he new from school. So I got introduced, shortly after that we ended up getting to know each other while unloading the poinsettias from the truck in the receiving department for the Christmas season. That was 22 years ago and counting. Kinda sounds like the winning story. Girl starts new job, meets boy, they unload truck&nbsp;and live happily ever after. Yours was unique and so much more heart warming. It probably made every mother ask themselves if their son would have stuck by them like that. Can't say that about the winning story. No woman would be saying to&nbsp;herself&nbsp; &quot;I wonder if George would have offered to make change like that&quot;. Just my analytical mind working overtime! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57685 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57685 Ya but the winning story wasn't unique. Every marriage started with a first time meeting. That's all that story was. Girl rides bike to gas station, meets boy, lives happily ever after. Cool story but the basic premise could be applied generically to most marriages. Like my marriage. My buddy wanted to introduce me to a new girl at work that he new from school. So I got introduced, shortly after that we ended up getting to know each other while unloading the poinsettias from the truck in the receiving department for the Christmas season. That was 22 years ago and counting. Kinda sounds like the winning story. Girl starts new job, meets boy, they unload truck&nbsp;and live happily ever after. Yours was unique and so much more heart warming. It probably made every mother ask themselves if their son would have stuck by them like that. Can't say that about the winning story. No woman would be saying to&nbsp;herself&nbsp; &quot;I wonder if George would have offered to make change like that&quot;. Just my analytical mind working overtime! Yeah, why does Valentine's Day have to be about a sexual love, and not about a love of a person.  I know there are cards and such out there that doesn't just include "couples" but like a contest ?  I mean Valentine's Day has turned into expressing, cherishing, being grateful and thankful for the love you have.  It is anything but conventional anymore, so why can't contests be non-conventional.  I think we need to have our own type of contest........ http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57688 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57688 Yeah, why does Valentine's Day have to be about a sexual love, and not about a love of a person.  I know there are cards and such out there that doesn't just include "couples" but like a contest ?  I mean Valentine's Day has turned into expressing, cherishing, being grateful and thankful for the love you have.  It is anything but conventional anymore, so why can't contests be non-conventional.  I think we need to have our own type of contest........ Thank you so much blaze....it is heartwarming and at the same time true.&nbsp; I wrote it then i re-read it and i broke out in tears.&nbsp; Man...life is a trip.&nbsp; I felt like mine was a one of a kind story but it's ok.&nbsp; I was gonna give the gift cert.&nbsp; to my boy for his birthday.&nbsp; At least they are printing it in the paper so he can read it!!&nbsp; I love that boy!&nbsp; http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57690 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57690 Thank you so much blaze....it is heartwarming and at the same time true.&nbsp; I wrote it then i re-read it and i broke out in tears.&nbsp; Man...life is a trip.&nbsp; I felt like mine was a one of a kind story but it's ok.&nbsp; I was gonna give the gift cert.&nbsp; to my boy for his birthday.&nbsp; At least they are printing it in the paper so he can read it!!&nbsp; I love that boy!&nbsp; dp4~if you go back and look at the contest article, it asked for different and unique &quot;love stories&quot;&nbsp; so i submitted the one i thought was different and unique. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57692 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57692 dp4~if you go back and look at the contest article, it asked for different and unique &quot;love stories&quot;&nbsp; so i submitted the one i thought was different and unique. jewels -  well that really makes me mad!!!!  I completely agree with Blaze...nothing was unique about that story....I haven't read them all, but according to MY opinion you should have won hands down!!!!  You sound like a wonderful mother.  And congrats on 2 years and continue the hard work!! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57731 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57731 jewels -  well that really makes me mad!!!!  I completely agree with Blaze...nothing was unique about that story....I haven't read them all, but according to MY opinion you should have won hands down!!!!  You sound like a wonderful mother.  And congrats on 2 years and continue the hard work!! I am working on being a great mom and grandma NOW...but believe me when i tell you that HE is the one who took care of ME!!&nbsp; http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57879 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/jewels/5718/#c_57879 I am working on being a great mom and grandma NOW...but believe me when i tell you that HE is the one who took care of ME!!&nbsp;