Dear Matt,
Five years ago we exchanged letters just moments before meeting each other at the end of the aisle. We were full of excitement and anxious to begin forever together. Through handwritten letters we professed our love for each other. I penned the memory of me approaching you in a crowded bar. And the unexpected whirlwind romance that followed. I thought you were incredibly handsome with your beautiful blue eyes and fabulous head of hair. I also thought you were brilliant and enjoyed our witty banter and deep conversations. I loved you wildly and knew I wanted to wake up in your arms every single day for the rest of my life.
Five years later all of those things still remain true. But if just for a moment I could have peeked into our future, my letter would have been written much differently. I married you for so many reasons back then but what I couldn’t possibly have known is how much deeper I would fall in love with you through the following years.
So after 5 years of marriage, if I could go back and edit my wedding day letter, I would add this…ย
Dear Matt,ย
Thank you for choosing me to marry. We can’t possibly imagine the insane highs and lows we will face together over the next five years. We will take a leap of faith when you open a business and we will celebrate as you outgrow 3 office locations within 5 years. You will support me in starting a blog, help me take a million pictures and smile as you eat your food cold. We will pick out the most perfect home where we will expand our family and make countless happy memories in. We will bring a beautiful baby girl into this world who will steal your heart. And 14 months later we will bring a handsome baby boy into this world who will steal mine. Life will be good. So good.
However, the storms will soon roll in and we will cling to one another as we weather them together. Our babies will bring us immense happiness, yet we will embark on a challenging journey with our latter and will lean on each other in ways we never expected. We will experience profound sadness through my dad’s cancer journey. We will grieve the loss of your grandparents and mine. I will undergo a prophylactic double mastectomy and we’ll spend our 4th anniversary together as you help me to the bathroom, shower, sort pain pills and more. In these times I will be more thankful than ever that you are mine and that I get to do this crazy life, for better or for worse, with you.
This season of our lives will (hopefully) be the hardest, yet also the best. Even though weโre immersed in our roles as mommy and daddy right now, youโre still the person that completes my heart and makes me the
happiest. When I married you all of the signs were there that you would be a good dad – you are patient, compassionate, selfless and fun. But it wasn’t until our babies arrived that I realized just how extraordinary
you really are. My heart will expand again and again as we research swaddling techniques together at 3 a.m., as I overhear you (and only you, by request) tuck Caroline into bed, while you play picnic on the floor for hours, as you proudly introduce Caroline and Thomas to golf, as you chase sopping wet toddlers around the splash park, as you sing Sesame Street songs, pray, cuddle and dance with our children. Being a daddy is one of your greatest gifts.
We will love each other fiercely but won’t always have time or energy to show it. Date nights will be fewer and farther between. Weekends away will be nearly impossible to schedule. We’ll never sleep-in again. Our late nights together will consist of trading shifts of rocking a baby back to sleep for hours from a cold, teething, a nightmare or a sleep regression. Our tiny, wonderful people will become our number one priority and we will fight like hell to get put each other back in that sacred spot. There will be many moments of frustration and exhaustion (largely dependent on how our babies slept the previous night) and sometimes as weโre going through the daily grind, it may seem as though Iโve forgotten you. Please know that I havenโt.ย
As we continue this adventure together, regardless of the phase we’re in, one constant will remain: my love for you. We began our journey together in love, and weโll continue that way through all the moments of our life. More than ever, I am so incredibly grateful for you. Thank you for choosing me all those years ago to create this wonderful life with.
Love your wife,
Christina
Well said Mama!!!!! I love love your words!! You took thoughts from my own mind, as a mommy of a two year old, with a devoted hubby & daddy who works so hard for us…My how my love has grown for him as life changes and tests!Congrats to y'all!!! And thank him from us for encouraging your blog!!Lindsey in NC
Don't mind me sobbing over here. So beautiful Christina! : )
So so sweet! Happy anniversary!!
Happy 5 Years! I loved reading your sweet letter to your husband and these posts always make me cheer for your marriage. ? I think back to the FIGS married and engaged couple nights and remember how innocent we were. I truly appreciate, even more now, how open and honest the leaders were. Telling us the storms WILL come and how important it is to turn to God and hold tight to our spouse. Praying for your precious marriage, family and health. Also, thanks for the reminder to schedule a date night ?
What a sweet, heartfelt letter to your husband. Happy Anniversary to a wonderful couple – this is beautiful, and such a testament to your love for each other <3
This! This is absolutely incredible! What a fabulous and incredibly meaningful idea for your anniversary. The strength of your marriage and the true love you have for one another is clearly reflected in this letter! Happy Anniversary…hope you can celebrate big this weekend!
Happy Anniversary! Posts like this always make my heart happy
HAppy Anniversary! What a beautiful love story you have!!
Totally crying. So sweet! What joy it is to be married!!!
So sweet. This is the true meaning of a marriage. Congrats on 5 years.
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary. The days are long but the years are short. After 23 years of marriage it can be harder and different but he's still the one I love by my side every minute.
This is BEAUTIFUL!!! Happy anniversary, girl!
I read this today – a very hard day in my own marriage – and am filled with hope. We have five years on you guys and I pray that your marriage is always unwavering love and beauty.
Happy 5th anniversary.
Been married 36 years, yall have this, Beautiful couple
And now I'm crying like I'm the one celebrating this anniversary haha so, so beautiful! Congratulations on 5 years!
Absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing this with us.
Oh how beautiful! Happy Anniversary!
This is precious!! Happy Anniversary! Whitney @ Come Home For Comfort
Wow, the most beautiful letter… I am sitting in tears of joy and happiness for the beautiful couple that you are x
That is such a beautiful letter to your husband. Just lovely. Happy Anniversary!