To my dear and loving husband

Dear George:

Happy 4th anniversary! Some days it seems like its been 1 year, other days it feels like it has been 14 years (in a good way)! 

4 years ago today I married my best friend. It was the best wedding I've ever been to! I loved everything about it; the invites, the ceremony, the flowers, the reception, the food. It was perfect. Everyone says that something goes wrong at your wedding, it happens to everyone. But ours really didn't. There was a little mix up at the beginning of the reception because we showed up a little earlier than expected but no one noticed and it didn't affect anything (except for us trying the appetizers which were all ready gone). We ate dinner, we danced our asses off and we enjoyed the company of our closest (125) family and friends.

The last 4 years have been tough on us as a couple. Right before our wedding this country's economy took a huge nose dive and so did the housing market, one year after we bought our first home. Our first born was born premature in 2010 and then was hospitalized and had surgery at 5 weeks old. In 2011, you were hospitalized for 6 days with internal bleeding. And of course this year I have breast cancer. So much stuff in 4 short years.

But we're lucky. We have each other. We have our closest friends and family surrounding us. 

For our 1 year anniversary I wrote you our love story. From the very beginning. I wrote that we each made one decision in our lives that brought us together. But I believe fate had a lot to do with it. I love that I was doing an internship and was required to keep a journal and know the exact date we met (July 6, 2005). I love that we didn't like each other at first but that we slowly became best friends. And I love our love story.

I included in my packet to you my favorite poem that I first read in an English class in college. Its called To My Dear and Loving Husband and its by Anne Bradstreet.

If ever two were one, then surely we.

If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee. 

If ever wife was happy in a man, 

Compare with me, ye women, if you can. 

I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, 

Or all the riches that the East doth hold. 

My love is such that Rivers cannot quench, 

Nor ought but love from thee give recompense.

Thy love is such I can in now way repay; 

The heavens reward thee manifold I pray. 

Then while we live, in love lets so persever, 

That when we live no more, we may live ever.

I also included a quote from the Notebook:

"Poets often describe love as an emotion that we can't control, one that overwhelms logic and common sense. That's what its like for me. I didn't plan on falling in love with you, and I doubt that you planned on falling in love with me. But once we met, it was clear that neither of us could control what was happening to us. We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we didn't, something rare and beautiful was created. For me love like that has happened only once, and that's why every minute we spend together has been searing in my memory, I'll never forget a single moment of it."

When we met, the last thing on our minds was the two of us ever dating, falling in love and getting married. But here we are, 7 years after meeting, 6.5 years after starting to date and 4 years of marriage. Its not always easy and we've been through more than many other couples but that's what has made us stronger than ever. I love that you know when I need my hand held at the doctor. I love that you know when I'm about to cry and come over to hug me. I love that you know that a pink Coach purse won't cure cancer but it sure makes me feel better about it. I love how you send me tulips and make sure I don't need anything before you leave my side. And I love more than anything, the little girl that we created. There is no one like her in the world, she is just part you and part me. 

I'm so lucky that I have you in my life, as my husband. To walk with me every step of our (not always fabulous) life. Someone who knows me as well as I know myself and someone who is willing to stand by me through it all. 

Your card to me today talked about our future, "many anniversary's from now". I'm so hopeful for our days of sitting on our front porch in our rockers watching our grand children run around our front lawn. But until then I'm so excited to see what each day, each moment even, brings us and our little family. 

Love you forever and ever.