As I write this here today, I reflect on the last five of the happiest years of my life. You're more than everything I was looking for in a soulmate, and you make the entirety of my world brighter. What we've built together, this life we call "ours," is so much more than I ever expected to be blessed with.
I'm so very honored to be able to support you. You are truly one of the most intelligent and kind people I've ever met. You've grown from middle school science teacher, to high school math teacher. Both while tackling two masters degrees and working full time. Now you're preparing for your first year as a college math professor. One step away from your dream job as a Chemistry Professor. I'm so proud of how hard you've worked to keep advancing your career.
Of course, we both know that's just the professional things I get to be proud of you for accomplishing. I'm most proud of, and grateful for, your devotion to our family. Despite all of the schooling, and career growth, you always find time for me and our family. You always make sure I'm spoiled with home cooked meals and pastries. You make me feel heard, not just listened to. You help take care of the monthly budget, so I can worry about the investments for our future. You accept my input, and trust in my decisions. You help me in all the smallest ways you can. You support me in every way you can. I love that we get to craft together (I'll be honest, I mostly build Lego while you do the impressive stuff). You did show your absolutely God given talent to teach by teaching me to sew shirts for myself. You encourage me to grow in my faith, and as a person. You inspire the best in me. I can only hope that I am meeting your expectations as your husband, because you're example of what a spouse should be sets that bar high.
The most important part of our journey has been our devotion to having children. Three and a half years into our marriage we found out that we wouldn't be able to conceive children of our own. A tough pill to swallow, considering growing our family through children was a primary life goal of ours. You didn't miss a beat though, and immediately got to work learning about adoption. You found a wonderful agency for us to work with, and with a lot of budgeting you helped line us up for an adoption. An adoption that came far sooner than we expected, by the grace of God we were blessed with our son.
I had the pleasure of watching you be the best mom a baby could ever hope for. Although we had plenty of rough nights as new parents, we managed them together, and always made sure we took care of each other along the way.
Two months into being new parents we had to take our son to the ER. We spent our four year anniversary in the hospital with him. That night, one year ago today, we were told he needed a life line flight to a better equipped hospital. So commenced the best and worse three and a half months of our lives. A lifetime lived together, loved together, and spent together. A lifetime come and gone sooner than we ever could have known. Throughout all of that, we just kept pulling each other closer. For our sakes, and our son's, we came together.
We stand here today to take back our anniversary, at the start of the sixth year of our marriage. Only eight months after we had to say a final goodbye to our son in this world. A few months ago you recreated the meal we shared when I proposed to you all that time ago. Then you proposed to me, so that we could have a chance to grow past the tragedy of this day together. Today, I stand here more in love with you and empowered by your love than I've even been before. I look forward to our next year of marriage filled with hope for our future, hope for our future children, and in remembrance of our son who is with us everyday in spirit. All that said, I'm offering a toast to our future; May it be bright, full, and spent in good company.
I love you. All the muches.
