A second anniversary letter to my wife, Kelsey Rose.

Dear Kelsey Rose,

Happy second Anniversary!  It’s hard to believe it’s been two years already. It feels like yesterday when my knees buckled watching you walk down that aisle.  I knew I was going to melt seeing you in that white dress but somehow, you still managed to blow me away.  The last two years have been nothing short of incredible so I figured I’d relive them with you through this letter…

First, let’s start with that incredible wedding day.  For the first time in my life, I smiled in every photo taken of me for an entire day. Smiling is so easy when I’m with you.  I wish I had the words to describe how I felt that day but I don’t.  For eight years, I dreamed of what our wedding day would be and it still far exceeded anything I could have ever dreamed of.  We laughed.  We loved.  And we had the time of our lives with our friends and family.  It truly was the best day ever.

Then we went on that incredible honeymoon.  We stepped off that plane in Barbados that first day and it was like walking into our own personal paradise.  They sang to us when we walked into the resort, our room had a FREE minibar and we had the time of our lives for the next 7 days.  Breakfast.  Pool.  Beach.  Dinner.  Sleep. Repeat.

But the best part of that honeymoon was the friends we made.  You and I have had far from a traditional relationship and this honeymoon was a testament to exactly that.  We didn’t spend it alone like most couples would.  On that first night, we made friends with a couple that shared our wedding day and we spent every day with them for the next week.  We could have just spent the time alone but you invited them to every breakfast, every dinner and everything else we did.  You have so much love to share with this world and I truly cherish that about you.

Then came moving into our first home together.  For some reason, we thought scheduling the closing appointment for our first home at 8:00 A.M. the day we returned from our honeymoon would be a great idea (our flight was scheduled to land at 2 A.M.).  Just like most of our lives so far, our “well thought out plan” was challenged from the very start.  Of course, our flight got delayed and we were forces to rent a car at 1:00 A.M. to drive home from Louisville to Cleveland so we could make our early morning closing appointment….but WE MADE IT.  We barely slept but we stayed up laughing about it all night together.  That day reminded me that not everything will go our way in life but as long as we are together, we will be just fine.

Then that first night in our new home, we slept on a mattress on the floor. Well actually, I slept on a mattress on the floor.  You stayed up until 3 in the morning with your mom organizing the kitchen…

This house has been nothing short of amazing.  Building a home with you has been a dream come true for me.  We have shared so many incredible memories in this house and we are just getting started.  One of my favorites is obviously the day you decided the entire first floor of the brand new house we just had built needed to be painted a new color after only 10 days of living in it…

Then came the day we stained the deck six months later.  We spent 10 hours staining that deck out in the 90 degree heat and do you remember what happened next?  When we finally finished and stood back to admire it, I asked you what would you rate it on a scale of 1-10 and do you remember what you said?  5/10….

Man was I mad but I learned something valuable on that day too.  We won’t always agree but that’s ok. I liked the “Padre Brown” but apparently you were looking for more of an “espresso” color…

There will be days where we are dead set on disagreeing and that’s alright. Compromising will have its time and place.  I’m sure our marriage will be filled with disagreements but as long as we come out stronger on the other side, that’s all that matters.

Honestly, I don’t care how many times we paint the house or what color the deck is as long as I can enjoy it with you.

Kelsey Rose, if I have learned one thing about you over the last decade it’s that when you have your mind made up on something, you won’t stop until you get it.  You are as stubborn as they come but I wouldn’t trade that for the world.  You know what makes you happy and you are willing to fight for that.  In saying that, I ask that you promise me two things.  First, you won’t ever let anyone take that happiness from you. And second, you will teach our daughter to never settle for anything less than everything her little heart desires.

Now back to memory lane…

Last summer things started getting REALLY exciting when you found out you were pregnant!  I have never been so excited in my life.  Watching you walk down the aisle was breath-taking but knowing you were going to be the mother of my child made me love you more than I ever thought possible.

I remember the day you told me like it was yesterday.  I was sitting outside drinking my morning coffee when you called me upstairs but before you could say a word, I knew.  The smile on your face said it all…

A few months later, I came home from work after an extremely difficult day.  I was so stressed and tired but there you stood there with that same glowing smile on your face.  That week, we were having our basement finished and you forced me down the steps for a “surprise”.  I remember walking down the steps with my eyes closed (looking back, not the smartest choice) and I remember wondering what could be so special in a half-finished basement.  But then I opened my eyes and saw you holding that balloon right before I popped it and saw that pink glitter exploded everywhere.  IT’S A GIRL!

Up until that point, I couldn’t imagine my life getting any better than it already was…

But a few months later, Isabella Rose was born.  Weighing just 6 lbs 10 oz, I held that tiny peanut in my arms and the rest was history.  I can’t possibly explain how much I love that little girl and I can’t explain how much more I love you as her mother.

Ten years we’ve been together and honestly, I thought I had seen you at your best but man was I wrong…

Motherhood looks so damn good on you.

As I’m writing you this letter, it’s 4 A.M. and I’m in Isabella’s nursery watching her sleep.  All I can think about is that this life we live together is more incredible than I ever dreamed it could be.

The truth is, over the last two years we’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve fought and we’ve smiled.  Through the good, the bad and the ugly, I wouldn’t trade a single moment with you for anything else in the world.

Happy Anniversary, Love.

Here’s to two years down and a lifetime to go.