To my husband..

Vacation post and photos coming, I promise..... But for now

Happy Valentines day to the man I dreamt about as a little girl.

It's been 11 years since our first Valentines day and I can't begin to tell you how happy you have made me over the past 11 years. When we met, I already had a family, albeit an incomplete one. I remember before I met you, looking into my baby daughters eyes one night and promising her that she would not grow up without a daddy, that I would find her the best daddy on the planet. I never could have predicted that I would be able to follow through with that promise.

I will never forget the day after we met. I was at the grocery store and came home to find you on the floor playing with her. I walked in and saw that beautiful picture in front of me and knew then and there that I would spend the rest of my life with you if I had my way. I knew that God had brought me what I had asked for.

You were very brave to take us on. I was so young with 2 kids, hadn't yet figured out who I was let alone anything else. You came into our lives just when we needed you.

These past 11 years with you have been wonderful. We have had our ups and downs, we have in a big way grown up together. We have dealt with things that would have torn most marriages apart in a nanosecond. We have endured them together and I feel a sense of relief that you are the one who shares those memories, and even the pain with me. We have come out of every situation stronger and more devoted to each other.

When we got started I don't think anyone could have dreamed we would last. After all, on our wedding day we had known each other a mere 9 months. I knew the moment I saw you that you were my soulmate. People say there is no such thing but I know it's true. God sent you to me because he knew I would never survive the future without you.

The slight tremble in your nervous hands on our wedding day, Seeing your face light up when our babies were born, and noticing the tiny tear in your eye. How it hurts you every time one of them gets hurt, watching you give Shaylin her little manicures and combing her hair just like you use to comb yours only for me to giggle and fix it. The way you talk with your hands, your silly sound effects.... The hurt on your face when I'm in pain and you can't fix it for me. The way you let me sleep in almost every day because Nate gets up so much at night, even though I get more sleep than you anyway..... Seeing the real man under the tough facade when our Alex went home with Jesus and watching you so carefully place his casket in the ground, just as you carefully put the other children in their beds....... I love you for all of these things more than I can ever tell you.

I love and trust you with my heart and soul and because of you I've learned to wholeheartedly trust someone. It may sound cliche but you are truly my other half. We may be opposites in a lot of ways but that is how we each become "normal". You are my calm when I want to fly off the handle and you are my motivation when I just don't care.

I know our boys will grow up to be great men, husbands, and fathers because of the role model you are to them. I know our daughters will grow up to be strong, confident women because of the way you have shown them men should treat women.

I can't wait to grow old with you, to watch our grandchildren grow up and our children become parents. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life knowing I'm the luckiest woman in the world. You are the only one I want to cry to, to laugh with, to go to sleep each night and wake up each morning next to......... I love you!

Shania Twain- You're still the one

(When I first saw you, I saw love. And the first time you touched me, I felt love. And after all this time, you're still the one I love.)


Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday


They said, "I bet they'll never make it"
But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong

Chorus:
(You're still the one)
You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life
(You're still the one)
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night

Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'

Chorus

I'm so glad we made it
Look how far we've come my baby