Snow happy: Madison Lake couple signals devotion with giant heart in the yard

Feb. 14—To most, it would just be a blanket of snow, but to Matt and Bonnie Malterer, of Madison Lake, it was a blank canvas.

The couple, who will be celebrating their 46th wedding anniversary on Sunday, drew the valentine in the snow to celebrate their love and spread some love, too.

Matt said he came up with the idea while looking out his window.

"It reminded me of a canvas that a painter would paint on. I thought, what could I do on this? It's flat, it's perfect, and I just thought I'll put a big heart out there," he said. "Actions speak louder than words."

But drawing hearts in the snow isn't the only way the couple keeps an eye out for reminders of love.

Bonnie said she has about a dozen heart-shaped rocks on her windowsill and collects them every time she finds them.

"If we're walking, or we're some place and I happen to see a rock that's heart-shaped, I'll collect it, to the point that even my grandson one day, when I saw him, he gave me a heart-shaped rock," she said.

Bonnie and Matt's love story started when she was still in high school and he had recently graduated.

They met at a dance hosted by their church and had mutual friends.

"We met up, and I just loved her eyes. That's what I loved, and I still do," Matt said.

The couple said looking for love everywhere is important because you can find it in the smaller moments.

"I heard this a long time ago and I thought it made sense. Love isn't a short story. It's a novel," Matt said.

"(Love is) a verb, so you just look for the little things," Bonnie added.

As they celebrate 46 years after tying the knot, Bonnie and Matt said patience, forgiveness, communication, choosing your battles and keeping a positive attitude are the secrets to a successful marriage.

"You never stop growing," Matt said.

He said the two will be taking a train trip to San Antonio and New Orleans to celebrate their anniversary.