Happy 35th Anniversary, my love
August 30, 1980 ~ August 30, 2015
35 Happy Thanks to you, John, for 35 Happy Years
1 Thank you for your love. This statement really sums up everything. Your love has carried me, nourished me, shaped me, encouraged me, comforted me for 35 years. And every day you say it: “I love you.”
2 Thank you for your faith. You have a quiet, unshakable faith in our Lord. You love God and you follow Jesus.
3 Thank you for our sons. What joys, what blessings. And thank you for living by example. Whew, my heart. Infinity emojis.
4 Thank you for your affection. Those kisses! Those hugs! Swoon! And not just for me. For your children. Your grandchildren. Family!
5 Thank you for your belief in me. You never said, “You can’t be a mother. You can’t have a baby. You can’t have another baby” because of my limitations.
6 Thank you for your support. Because when I wanted to stay at home with the children, you said “yes, you can do it.” Because when I started my business, you were my advocate and encourager.
7 Thank you for your forgiveness. Boy, I sure screw up a lot and it’s a relief that you forgive and we move on.
8 Thank you for lifting me up. Literally, when I’ve stumbled and face-planted. Spiritually, when I’ve doubted what’s next. Emotionally, when I’ve felt flattened. Always, you’re there to pick me up.
9 Thank you for your warmth. And not just for the roaring fires, for microwaving the “cozy” to comfort my shoulders, for the snuggling against your chest, but for the warmth of your heart.
10 Thank you for being fun. Your humor. Your imagination. You are my man-kid. My king of the Legos.
11 Thank you for your brilliance. You are scary smart and I’m in awe that you know so much stuff.
12 Thank you for your wit. Like when, just concerning the temperature of the house, I ask, “Are you hot?” Short pause. “Uh, that would be your call, wouldn’t it?” Short pause. Hot. Dot. Yeah.
13 Thank you for your compliments. You are quick to tell me I’m beautiful and sexy. That amazes me. I’ll put on lip gloss for you.
14 Thank you for compromising. I’m the extrovert; you’re the introvert. And yet, you’ll go with me to parties. It’s a gift to me.
15 Thank you for respecting my individuality. See above. You let me be who God created me to be.
16 Thank you for listening. Because, mercy, I’m a talker. But never once did you say talk to the hand. And never did you say I told you so.
17 Thank you for caring. Oh my, especially during my awful morning sickness. And then there was that whole menopause thing.
18 Thank you for (getting better at) communicating. Well, we have to have something to work on. Ha.
19 Thank you for your generosity. You are such a giver. Of big and small gifts you know others will enjoy. Your heart is large with goodness and charity.
20 Thank you for your patience. Slowly, I turn. Step by step. Inch by inch. (Embarrassing homage!)
21 Thank you for your compassion. Your thoughtfulness. Your kindness. It’s there. For so many.
22 Thank you for making ordinary moments into happy moments. Strolling the aisles of Target. Watching Fred Astaire films. Sharing a grilled cheese sandwich. Daily being.
23 Thank you for working things out. When we are mad and frustrated and annoyed with each other. Over big stuff. Over petty stuff. We work it out. Together.
24 Thank you for protecting me. And I don’t just mean from spideys and all things crawly, but for protecting my heart.
25 Thank you for providing for your family. You’ve always worked hard, and in jobs that were often challenging. But you went to work every day and rarely complained. I admire that.
26 Thank you for hot beverages. Coffee with mocha creamer. Apricot vanilla tea. Sometimes served with brownies. Ghirardelli brownies.
27 Thank you for facing problems with me. When there are events and circumstances and days that drive me to chocolate and Peeps and gluten and bacon and Haagen-Dazs, you hold my hand and don’t let go.
28 Thank you for wiping away my tears. I am one leaky, emotional, sentimental, easily bruised, tender, mess of hormones. And you hand me tissues.
29 Thank you for accepting me just the way I am. No lie, I have issues. And you love the tattered package that is me.
30 Thank you for enjoying my company. We are all weird in some way.
31 Thank you for enjoying sports. I love that we’re a pair of non-athletes who are cheering (me loudly, you stoically) spectators for so many sports. Football and the Indianapolis Colts! And all U.S. Olympic teams. Curling! (And I’ve come to terms with our mixed-marriage: me, the Chicago Cubs fan, you, the St. Louis Cardinals fan.)
32 Thank you for smiling. And. Those. Blue. Eyes.
33 Thank you for going with the flow. Your mother’s advice.
34 Thank you for doing housework. It makes me the envy of my friends. High five.
35 Thank you for your true love/twoo wuve. Because it’s not about how many days, months or years we’ve been together, it’s about how much we actually love each other every day.
BONUS THANK YOU: FOR BLESSING MY WORLD.
You make the world richer, kinder, wiser, wittier, lovelier, better.
