To whom it may concern,

I thought about us today. About how we were going to sit on some wrap around porch drinking sweet tea out of mason jars and watch our kids and dog play. Yes, we are having at least one dog. I thought about how in our younger years we will take the kids to church in the morning, even though you'll complain it is too early, you will always get up with me and go through the struggle of getting them ready because you know how important this Sunday morning ritual was to me growing up. I thought about the nights we are going to spend together, after everyone is asleep, drinking whiskey or wine or anything we can get our hands on, and happily entering the haze that sometimes come with those drinks. And we will sit down stairs, or in our room, talking, laughing, becoming close again. You will ask me to dance on those nights, on any nights, in our living room, at a restaurant, in the park, because you know that I love dancing even if I'm too shy to ask. We will go on date nights together as often as possible, because you know how important it is to me that even after children we keep our relationship first. It sounds selfish, but you know it isn't. You know that I want our kids to see love, because that is what they will grow into.
You'll kiss me every time before we part, even if it is only for thirty minutes, and every night before we go to bed. There's a statistic that proves men who do this live longer, so you know it is just because I'm trying to help you live a healthier life. And even when we are older and it's just the two of us, we will still hold hands in the car, and drive down dirt roads with the windows down singing George Strait or some other country artist. People will see us out in public, arms intertwined together, like all the elder couples I see now a days, and they will want what we have. And who could blame them.
If either of our memories start to go, we will remind each other of our love every day, of our story. And I will remind you what time your favorite show is on simply by turning on the TV because I know you hate it when I act like I know everything, even if you can't remember my name sometimes. And you, like you have done for years, will drag me outside at 2 am for the meteor showers, every single one of them, because you know how much I love them, even if I forget.
Even at the age of 70 you will go to any doctor appointment with me if I'm getting a shot because you know I'll need a hand to hold. And when we go to the zoo, you always stay by the elephants with me until the end of time because even though you know I love them, you also know I have a deeper, meaningful relationship with them. And when we go on walks you'll go ahead of me to clear a path between the geese and ducks because you know that ever since that one bite me all those years ago I've been terrified of them.
And sometimes we will go down to the lake, the river, the pond. We will sit there, watching the sunset or sunrise over the water and skip rocks, which I'm horrendous at. We will take trips to the lake, where even though I grew up on the lake you will still have to teach me how to drive a boat, a task you find simple. And you will always be patient with me, and I will always be patient with you, but I promise I will always be impatient as well. Something you will love and hate.
We will make homemade gifts for each other, we will do our own housework, and you will condone all of this because you know how important it is to me to keep things to simply and classic. And sometimes you will bring home flowers, just because. And you will know that while roses are nice that I love daises and wild flowers, and while you could buy them, I like when they are picked. It isn't because we are cheap, although we probably wont ever have much money, but it's because wild flowers are pure. Like us. We will love each other, and when things aren't easy we won't throw away our relationship, but work to fix it. Just like your grandparents did. But I don't have to tell all of this to you. Because you know, or you will. Wherever you are you know.

--Inspired by Sadie Lewis--