That one there... Yup, he's mine!

Dear Buck,

You had to know that when I started writing letters to our children, that you would be included in there somewhere. I hope you don't mind the peek into our marital bliss (don't worry, it is limited to the about 10 readers of this blog).

It was 8 years ago I was fortunate enough to marry my best friend. I was madly in love with you then, but I had no idea how much that love could grow as we embarked on this journey together. As we prepared to get married my mom told me that "your marriage won't work for you unless you work for your marriage." It seemed like sound advice, but I had no idea the absolute truth in that statement. Thank you for working for our marriage, it is something that takes constant attention and devotion. I am so grateful to have a husband that joyfully invests in maintaining our relationship. I betcha didn't know it would be this much work.

Buck, our journey together has been filled with highs and lows - as any marriage can be expected to. The thing that I am so thankful for is for our ability to work through each of those times together. I know there are times that I would look over and realize that you were carrying everything on your back while we were slugging up a steep hill only to have you wink at me and tell me it was all going to be okay. And the best part is that I would know that you were right - not because you were carrying the burden for us, but because we both knew that when we needed to shift the load we could and that we would make it work together. In the end, we have always conquered the tough times. And, even better, we have had a lot of times that we got to just smile and coast through our marriage because everything was going right. You haven't let us take advantage of those times, but instead we stop and high five and enjoy the glitter and rainbows together. Thank you for this journey and always being willing to work for us.

The last eight years have filled my heart with memories. I, of course, will never forget the cute college boy sitting across the classroom that I just wanted to look at, not date and had absolutely no thought of marrying. But now I get to come home to that cute boy every single day... and it was you that worked his tail off to get me through law school, you that have pushed me to meet my goals, you that have supported me in developing my career, you that encouraged me and held my hand as I birthed our children, you that have served as a guidepost as I have navigated what it means to be a friend, a wife, a mother, an attorney, a triathlete. Buck, you have given us a rock solid foundation to our marriage. You have placed me and our family first. I know at times it made you uncomfortable, but your devotion and willingness to honor us has far reaching impacts. There are a lot of parts to being a man, and I am incredibly blessed by your gifts and talents (being able to build things, being able to fix things, being a protector, having strength, always carrying a knife when we need it...), but I am truly blessed by your leadership and your calm resolve.

Lucky for us it is not all work. That is the beauty of marrying your best friend - we love to play together. And that includes so many things.... fishing, hunting, hiking, biking or even just being silly with the kids in the backyard. I am so thankful for the time we can spend together enjoying things that we love together. And beyond that, thank you for encouraging me to play. To occasionally stop being a wife, a mother, a worker, a cleaner and to just get out and smile and enjoy the fresh air. I need that.

And finally, you are such an amazing father. Our love and our relationship has grown in many ways throughout or marriage, but our children have enable us to grow in a dimension that was previously unknown. I love watching you bring laughter and smiles to our children's faces. I love that you are so willing to let the little boy in you shine through as you play. You come up with antics that occasionally make me flinch, but somehow you always know what the outcome is going to be and it is always uncontrolled laughter. I know that sometimes you do things "not my way" and I don't think it is going to work out - it usually does. I am glad that you are willing to listen to me, but that you will also gently tell me that you disagree or that you need to be a father your way. Even when it is hard for me to understand in the moment, I know you are right. You do a fantastic job and I trust you completely.

Thank you for being an amazing husband. Thank you for loving me endlessly and working for our marriage. I pray that you receive as much joy as I do. And of course, thank you for the beautiful flowers. They are beautiful, but the most beautiful is the thought that you put into them.

I love you,

Your wife