Dear Edward: Year 3
Edward and I lived apart for 6 months of this third year of marriage (thank you, PA school rotations). While I was usually close enough for a weekend commute back to Lincoln, we are more than happy to have that phase behind us. Of course this came with a new set of ups and downs, the main downside being that I was still unable to convert Ed to an iPhone so we could FaceTime easier. As we grew through our experiences this last year, our relationship has also grown, especially from where we were three years ago. There are new vows I want to share with Edward and, because vows are a public declaration, I invite you to listen in. If we got married after three years of marriage, this is what I would say:
Dear Edward,
- I promise to enjoy our present. Don’t get me wrong, it is fun dreaming with you and driving around town to visit random Zillow listings just because we can. But, I love the life we have created together in our townhouse. No matter what phases of life we go through, I want to enjoy them while we are living them instead of just when we’re reminiscing.
- I promise to trust your adventurous spirit. You pull me out of my comfort zone and that is often…uncomfortable. But, you are safe. Thank you for pushing me to ski more than the bunny hill, for encouraging me to sign up for a triathlon even though I can barely swim (yes, that is still the case), and for taking me on camping adventures in the middle of a Nebraskan winter (with a little help from the wood stove that kept us toasty).
3. I promise to appreciate your creativity. From the artwork that decorates our living room to the garden box you built from scratch, I love how you help make our house a home. Not to mention the money saved because of your successful DIY projects.
4. I promise to keep our summer tradition of eating fresh, cold cantaloupe on the porch while we watch the sun go down. Sitting with you, talking about anything and everything, is my favorite way to end the week. Thank you for being my best friend.
5. I promise to never be too grown up to enjoy a rainstorm. Whether we’re cozy inside watching the rain or on an open train ride along the Oregon coast with the droplets blowing in our faces, making memories is more important than perfect hair.
6. I promise to read you all of my favorite books, eventually. Let’s plan another road trip soon, since that seems to be the main way we find enough free time to actually get through an entire book together.
7. I promise to be kind to you, to us. If the last three years taught us one thing, it is the importance of being gracious with ourselves and others. Neither of us is perfect (shocking, I know), but patience and forgiveness are wonderful gifts. My favorite thing is how our “heated discussions” always escalate into a whisper.
8. I promise to keep studying with you every evening, even though I’m done with school. Whether that is because I still have a lot to learn or I just can’t break the habit of spending the evening in the office with you, we may never know.
9. I promise to rearrange different rooms in the house every couple of months just to keep you on your toes. I’m glad you’re starting to get used to it after three years..you can probably look forward to it for the rest of our lives!
10. I promise to keep connecting with you. Through our life changes, I want to grow with you. Let’s keep coming home after long days just to lay side by side in the middle of the living room floor, exhausted but happy to be together. Let’s keep telling each other about the wins and the losses. Let’s keep dreaming together while reminding ourselves how blessed we are in the here and now. I love doing life with you!
Happy Anniversary, Edward! I will always love you.
