3 Years

Three years ago today, I married my wonderful husband.  We had known each other since third grade, been dating since 12th grade, and had been engaged for a year and half when we finally walked down the aisle at a beautiful little country church.  (You ever hear the song "Where I'm From" by Jason Michael Carrol?  You should! It's very much "us," except he wasn't a quarterback and I certainly wasn't the homecoming queen.)  We were surrounded by A LOT of family and friends and the ceremony was performed by my dad.  It was a very memorable and beautiful day.  We still get compliments about our wedding and reception!

But, I didn't come here to brag about how awesome our wedding was.  (Although it was!)  I came here to post an open letter to my husband.  Feel free to look in.

My Dearest Love,

Can you believe it's been three years?  Three years since I cried like an idiot when we saw each other for the first time in our wedding attire; three years since swore I was done crying, only to cry my fool head off in the nursery for no reason at all; three years since I saw you at the other end of the aisle and it was all I could do to not run to you; three years since I went through pediatric heart defects in my head to keep myself from crying during the ceremony;  three years since our first dance as a married couple; three years since we started sharing a home and a bed.  Three years! I certainly can't wrap my mind around it.

I remember that day, but it went so fast that it seems like only snippets here and there.  I remember being so happy and thinking nothing could top the feeling of that day.  Nothing could top the love I had for you.  But I was wrong.  Boy, was I wrong!  Because, when I woke up the next day, and saw you sleeping next to me, I realized that I loved you even more in that moment than I did the second we were pronounced husband and wife.  Then, you know what happened?  Life crept in, and I realized that I loved you more and more with each passing moment.  When we shared our first Christmas morning together a mere 9 days after we wed, I thought that I couldn't top the love I was feeling for you.  When we got lost in Eden Prairie, I thought, "I can never love him more than I do right now."  When we saw the 2 pink lines on that pregnancy test, and saw the joy in your eyes, I was convinced that my heart would burst from the love I was feeling for you.  When that second line disappeared a few days later, and you held me while I wept, my heart was still overflowing with love for you.  As we've struggled through 3 years of infertility and it's associated ups and downs, you've boggled my mind with my ever-increasing love for you.  When I see the godly man that you are in everything you do, my love grows.  But none of that can compare to the feeling I get when I see you with our son.  Whether you're playing video games together or building a fort or reading a book, I see you with him and my heart somehow finds somewhere else to put the love I have for you.  I don't know how it's possible, but I love you more in this second than I did even when you looked me in the eyes and said, "I do!"

I pray that, as the years go by, we'll grow more and more in love with each other and with the Lord.  Without Him, we both know we wouldn't be where we are today.    I thank you for showing me exactly how Christ loves the church.  I know you are pleasing to Him.

I love you so much, Sweetie!  Happy Anniversary!