A Letter to My Husband

Dear Husband,

Today, you have my words.

Choosing you, was the best decision I've ever made.

The hardest, but the best.

We've been married for 1 year and 7 months.
We've been engaged for 2 years and a month.
We've been dating for 7 years and 3 months. (3 years, we were far, far a part.)
We grew up in the same church- since I was born and you were 4.

We've grown a part, grown close, and changed in ways we couldn't have dreamed.
We've taken on this life together, and we're always changing.

Some people told us the first year of marriage would be the hardest...

I'm glad we took that as a challenge. 

We made that our prayer.

It was an adjustment, but I'd say, it's been our best year yet.

You put up with my craftiness- 5:00 a.m. wake up calls by my newest project (a section of a fence) crashing down on your head...

You put up with my forgetfulness- loosing the bottle of Ibuprofen, only to find it in the dinning room hutch (I guess I left it there while cleaning?)...

You put up with my job changes- I still can't find one that fits.

You put up with my sometimes childish behavior- I still sneak in a silent treatment here and there.

You put up with my complaining- I do have weird things that happen to me...

And you put up with my failures- all my sins and all the times I don't love you well.

Through it all- you've been patient and prayerful...you've been my provider and protector...you've been my leader and lover.

You've been Christ.

And through it all- it's not that you've "put up" with me, it's that you love me. 

No, you're not perfect- you have your moments too.

But this letter, this is to thank you, because I don't do it enough.

Each day, I get the gift of waking up and being your partner.

I get the joy of ironing your shirts, packing your lunches, pouring your to-go coffees, and giving you goodbye kisses.

You've never once asked. You've never once placed those expectations on me.

But, I gladly do them. I cherish them.

No, I'm not slaving away to the typical "house-wife" stuff- I'm using my gifts to give life!

And I wouldn't trade each one for anything.

I wouldn't trade any little, insignificant moment- because they're all significant. 

Yes, we've only been married for a little over a year, and we don't have kids yet, but we've learned what some people don't learn in a lifetime.

We've learned we're human- love is not a fairy tail.
We've learned we're selfish- we're learning to strive to live selflessly (daily!).
We've learned to be forgiving- we don't just apologize, but ask for forgiveness. We give grace! 
We've learned we're each created differently- we try to celebrate those differences.
We've learned it's not about us- it's about glorifying our savior.

To sum up it up-
We've learned to love when it's easy and love when it's hard.

We have a lot more mistakes to make.
We have a lot more to learn.
We have a lot more love to give.

And we get to do it all- together.

So even though this was the hardest, yet best decision ever- I'm undoubtedly grateful for it. I'm grateful for you. I'm grateful for us. I'm grateful you chose me. 

And not just today, not just tomorrow- you will always have my words and you will always have me. 

http://www.gretchenrobards.com/