Getting lucky
Dear Kyle,
There’s not a single day when I don’t reflect on how ridiculously fortunate I am to have you as my husband.
Sure, I grumble every day too – in fact, right now there’s an empty Natty Light case sitting on the kitchen island, apparently waiting to be spirited away by elves – but a little clutter is meaningless in our grand scheme.
I can’t simply itemize everything that you do and say, because it wouldn’t do you justice. The whole of you is much greater than the sum of those individual parts.
In marriage, the romantic notions of happily ever after fade with time and are replaced by a partnership. Because when it comes down to it, maintaining a marriage and family requires effort. Sometimes it’s an equitable partnership in which priorities and values align and complement, and sometimes not.
I’ve never been able to lower my expectations of myself or others, so I usually anticipate disappointment. I know I’ve failed to meet my own expectations many times over the course of our marriage, and yet you’ve always stood by me. Thank you for seeing what I wanted – what I expected – to be.
And you are so much more than I ever dared to hope you’d be. Thank you for continuing to surprise me with your greatness.
Happy tenth anniversary. I’m the luckiest wife and mother in the world, and I’ll never forget it.
Love,
Julie
September 27th, 2007 at 5:35 am
Happy 10th anniversary to you and Kyle! Here’s to decades more of happiness and partnership.
September 27th, 2007 at 6:05 am
Congratulations! And what a beautiful letter.
September 27th, 2007 at 6:38 am
I love posts like this. I really do. I look at my husband and wonder, “Boy, you really could have done better.” And I don’t mean that to slight me, but to revere him. He puts up with a lot. A LOT. He’s no romantic and I think his momma forgot to teach him about compliments and verbal encouragement, but every other thing about him is darn near perfect.
And me? Most of the time I’m a mess.
Blessings on 10 years and here’s to 10+ more!
September 27th, 2007 at 7:38 am
Awww, how nice. Happy Anniversary!
September 27th, 2007 at 7:39 am
Happy 10th Anniversary!! Here’s to many more years of happiness together. You two sound like a great team.
September 27th, 2007 at 8:17 am
you really are one of the lucky ones. happy anniversary!
September 27th, 2007 at 9:32 am
Happy 10th Anniversary to a fabulous partnership!
I have chills from what your wrote, Julie. Thank you for sharing.
September 27th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Happy anniversary to a couple who were not only obviously meant to be but are also, as a pair, quite fertile.
September 27th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
“BIG HUGS”!!!!
Really, happy anniversary. You are so true about the ‘whole of you is greater than the sum of parts’.
And, could you please send the cleaning elf my way when you’re done?
September 27th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
happy 10th
September 27th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Happy anniversary, Kyle and Julie!
September 27th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Happy 10th. I hope you both get lucky to celebrate.
September 28th, 2007 at 12:14 am
Oh Happy Day for your Happy A!
September 28th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Wishing you a happy 10th as well as 11th, 12th, and so on and so on…
Happy anniversary!
September 29th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Happy Anniversary, Julie and Kyle! What a beautiful letter, too.