7

I've made some mistakes in my 31 years. Some of these mistakes were doozies and some were just silly. But the biggest decision I ever made - who to marry, who to share my life with - is one choice that I couldn't have done any better.

This week Bud and I celebrated our 7th anniversary. Looking back, I still can't believe that we got engaged at 23 and married just a year later. If John comes to me in 22 years saying he's found "the one," I'll turn him around and tell him to come back in a decade. 

But we knew. At the beginning and end of every day, we knew. We knew we were special. Every-single-day I feel special because he loves me and every-single-day I try to be the person that this amazing man will be proud to call his wife.  I don’t say we’re special because I feel like we have something others don’t.  I say we’re special because we truly feel that way and I can only wish that everyone I love feels the same way about her own partner. 

We knew that adding a baby to our family would change our relationship.  I think anyone who says it doesn’t is a big fat liar, but the God’s honest TRUTH is that it has made us stronger.  It’s made me love him in a whole new way.  I’ve always felt like I “needed” him, but before John it was like when I “need” a coffee in the morning.  Now, I need him like a fish needs water.  He’s not only a lifeline for survival, he’s home. He’s in the trenches with me every day and he makes it fun. 

I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but will spend the next 60 years making sure that we always feel this way about each other.