Randy and I on March 3, 2003 – the happiest day of my life!

Dear Randy – My soul mate, my best friend, my everything,

Today is your 29th birthday, and it has me thinking about our life together. How we met eleven years ago – just two kids just barely out of high school, who met and just instantly ZINGED. People live their entire lives looking for that special person who makes them feel complete, and I am so blessed to have found you at only eighteen years old. When I first met you, I couldn’t believe it – I just KNEW that you were the missing piece of me that I didn’t even know that I was looking for – it’s like that quote from that movie Fools Rush In, “you are everything I never knew that I always wanted.” But it’s true. You are. You’re everything to me, and I thank God every single day for bringing you to me. He knew that I needed you in my life for as long as humanly possible, and I can’t even describe how thankful I am for His wisdom.

Randy and I in 2005-ish

We have gone through so much together since we first met … We have four of the most beautiful babies on the face of the planet  – together we have had so much fun raising them and watching them grow into four amazing little people. Watching you as a father makes my heart so happy – our kids are so lucky to have such an amazing man to look up to. I know that if they continue to follow your guidance that they will turn out to be the most amazing grown up people, and I could not have asked for a better parenting partner in life.

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.”

– Aristotle

About to go on a ghost hunting tour … eek!

All the moves? My God, all the moves. We’ve lived in Yucca Valley, Palmdale, Bakersfield, McChord AFB (Tacoma, WA), Kadena AB (Okinawa, Japan), Minot and now here in Colorado Springs (not to mention your time spent away in San Antonio, Port Hueneme and Afghanistan). Each trial and tribulation has taught us something about ourselves, and about each other – how to be a better person, a better parent, a better spouse – continual growth individually and together. Absolutely amazing.

Welcoming my airman home from Afghanistan, July 2009. Image courtesy of Kristi Hammack

We have survived so much together and yet, here we are … still going and stronger than ever. So many people that have come in and out of our lives have complimented us – and I see why … We are “that couple” – the ones who will grow old together, loving each other more each day than the day before. Not sure how it’s humanly possible to grow more in love with you each day – but I do. And I promise to always love you, more and more, even when we’re gray and wrinkly.

“You are, and always have been, my dream.”

― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

2010 – Image Courtesy of Nelly Hernandez

I am so excited to be renewing my wedding vows with you in less than a couple of weeks. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to tell you in front of everyone in our lives how you are the most amazing person I’ve ever met, and everything I promise to you – each and every day.

Our own love story inspires me every time I pick up my camera. I am so inspired by our love, that capturing love is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I am so lucky to live a love inspired life!!

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

1 Corinthians 13:13

Summer 2011, Image courtesy of Amy O’Neal

So, today, we celebrate your birthday. We celebrate that you brought to this earth and given life by our Heavenly Father and that we found each other. We celebrate that we have gone through a third of our lives together. We celebrate that the amazing man that I love, today and forever after that.

Happy birthday, my darling. I love you.