It Went By So Fast

Dave,

There is one thought that I can't get out of my mind as we celebrate the last 20 years together today.  It went by so fast!  It really did, didnt it?

I stared at you as you walked in the door last night and I smiled to myself as I realized how much I still love you.  I can't believe its been 20 years.  I simply can't believe how it went by so fast.

As the memories of our life together flashed through my mind this morning I realized something about us. We do hard and we do it well.  Who would have ever thought, other than the two of us, that as we stood in front of God and our families that morning that those two impulsive teenagers would make it?  We do hard and we do it well.  A year later as we packed what little we owned into that truck and moved away from everyone we'd ever known that we would make it?  Remember that day?  It was hard, but we did it and we've never looked back.  I'll never forget the morning I told you we were expecting Blake.  Dave, we were barely 2O years old and had only just begun our life away from everyone else...see what I mean?  We do hard.  Just look at him today!  I'd say we do hard well, wouldn't you?  Jump ahead a few more years...seriously?  Your practice?  A new graduate with a young wife and two babies at home?  Starting our own business?  So hard!    Everyone told us to go to work for someone else.  Everyone thought we were crazy! Those early days when we never knew if we could pull it off or not...that was hard...but look at you now.  I'm so proud you aren't afraid to do hard and I'm so proud that we do it well together.  Finally, when I look back at those days, the early ones, with that tiny baby girl lying all alone in a hospital room down the street from us...it was the hardest!  We did it anyway!  With no assurances, with no promises, with no answers...we just did it.  We loved  her and we loved her hard.  I think we did it well!  As she lay sleeping in her room down the hall this morning I smiled to myself knowing that although its been hard, so very hard, that we are doing it anyway.  I know without a doubt that I'd be too afraid to do hard without you.  Without your strength, your wisdom, your patience, and your optimism...it would be too hard.  Thankfully, I don't have to do it without you.

I'd say that even though the last 20 years haven't always been easy they have definitely been worth it.  I can't imagine a life without you next to me.  We've grown up together choosing the hard path in this life and I love that we are on it together.

Just look at Blake, Allie, and Ash...We are so blessed!  They are the best things we've ever done...every choice, every sacrifice, every day choosing to parent them the way that we have...they are amazing! Without a you and me they would not be them.  No, its not been easy, but its been so worth it!

Dave, I loved you then with my whole heart and I trusted you with it.  I love you now with my whole heart and I still trust you with it.  I know, without a doubt that I'll love you tomorrow with that same heart and that you can be trusted keep it.

Happy 20th anniversary...I wouldn't choose to do hard with anyone else...you've made the first 20 years so much fun that I'm looking forward to spending the next 20 with you.