Love isn’t a singular moment — it’s a million strung together through a lifetime of commitment to one another.

That’s what Illinois Valley couples who have been together for decades said when we asked what makes love and marriage last.

David Raikes, 70, still leaves love notes around the house for his wife Janet, to find. After more than five decades together, he says he loves her more than ever. And he makes sure she knows it.

David and Janet Raikes of Marseilles said the family they have grown has only aided in the strength of their marriage.

“Family has always been number one for us,” they said. “I would say that’s what kept us together...We committed early on, we wanted a family and we built our life around our kids.”

The Raikes, who will be married 53 years in May, met in junior high, began dating in high school and got married one week before graduating from Marseilles High School in 1973.

“She was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen,” David said. “And still is.” He admits it took him a minute to build up the courage to make his move.

“He was very, very shy,” Janet said. “Every time I walked in [to school] someone would say ‘Hey Red’ and if I even looked up at Dave he would smile and his face would turn a little pink.”

Once he had her, David made sure Janet knew how much she meant to him by leaving flowers and notes in her locker.

For Bill and Lois Ross, who have been married for 72 years, the key is communication and working together.

“We help each other out,” Lois said. “We back each other up.”

The Rosses, of Ransom, both in their 90s, met on the dance floor when Bill asked her to square dance with him. They dated for about six months before he proposed.

“He’s a farmer,” Lois said. “He had to get this over with before we got into the field again. We thought we knew what we were doing and I guess we did. We’ve been married for quite a while.”

Jim and Nancy Cavaletti, of Spring Valley, said it’s love and making the best of what they could when they were together.

“Jim cracks jokes and makes me laugh,” Nancy said. “He tells me every day how much he loves me and vice versa.”

The Cavalettis, who have been married for 62 years, met at Jim’s family’s tavern when Nancy was four years old and Jim five. She would come and ask his parents if he could come outside to play.

They began dating when they were around 11, after Jim and his dad asked Nancy and a friend to join them for a boat ride.

“I liked his cowboy hat,” Nancy said when asked what first attracted them to each other.

They were married at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Spring Valley when they were 19 and 20.

“I think I love him now more than I ever did,” Nancy said.

All good things in life come with obstacles; marriage is no exception. The key, Illinois Valley couples say, is to be forgiving and push through it.

“Problems get too big when you make them last longer,” Lois said. “So, try to settle little arguments.”

“There’s going to be hard times and there’s going to be good times,” Nancy said. “But, you’ve got to work through the hard times and you’ve got to respect the other person’s decisions and how they feel. It’s not a one-way street.”

The couples we spoke with agree, romance isn’t about grand gestures — it’s the little things that you do for each other every day that matter.

David Raikes writes Janet love notes and leaves them around the house to find or he’ll surprise her with flowers just because.

“I think romance is wonderful,” Janet Raikes said. “But, it’s the everyday. If I can do something for him, I’ll do it. If he can do something for me without asking, he does without asking. It’s shown every single day.”