Madonna says Jesus Luz is "the love of her life".

As friends looked on, Madonna gushed: "He's the love of my life. He has been so strong around me. I can't thank him enough." The next morning (17.08.09), the couple looked blissfully happy as they boarded a luxury yacht with Madonna's children - Lourdes, 12, Rocco, eight, Mercy, four, and David, three.

As the children relaxed on the deck, the pop superstar and her lover frolicked in the ocean, with Madonna - whose ex-husband is British director Guy Ritchie - shunning a skimpy bikini in favour of a basketball uniform emblazoned with her name.

An onlooker said: "She and Jesus looked madly in love and it was great to see her looking so happy. They just looked like any normal family enjoying a holiday together."

The singer wasn't the only one wearing unusual clothing - her newly-adopted daughter Mercy was dressed in an oversized 'I love Madonna' T-shirt. Designer duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana organised her Italian birthday bash. But the pair were reportedly so "terrified" she wouldn't be happy with it they had to take herbal relaxation treatments to calm their nerves.