He is my family. In some of the most desolate places on this planet our lives have been enriched by each other's companionship. As a mother would throw herself into traffic to save her child, I wouldn't hesitate to take a car's hit if it meant sparing Noah. Sacrificing your own needs for the needs of another. Not just some gushy feeling you get.
Love certainly is a beautiful word.
But words are not necessarily always important. Love is dynamic. Love is an action and actions ARE important. I can tell Noah I love him. I can verbally remind him of that every day.