Always, I want to be with you

On April 10, Josh and I celebrated our 14th anniversary. We have not had the easiest marriage, and several times (especially in the first few years), one or both of us wanted to call it quits. This past year was the first full year of marriage that something big or bad didn't happen, and it's been my favorite year of marriage yet (I don't even remember fighting once in the last year). Let me explain: something major happened every single other year of our marriage that was life-altering or relationship-changing. Some of them were mostly good things: like the years that the children were born or the year we moved into our house...but that only totals 4 out of the previous 13. So there seemed to be more negative than positive major things happening to us, and it was difficult to keep it together at times.

I have never been more in love with my husband. It amazes me how each year my love has grown for this man that I chose to spend my life and eternity with. He is exactly the right man for me and I cannot imagine my life without him. My happiest moments are with him, my best memories include him, my life revolves around him. He creates calm in my chaotic world, he listens and takes care of me, his common sense helps me with my crazy mind, he supports me in my endeavors, he works hard and creates beauty around our home. I love him for who he is. I've even grown fond of some of his imperfections, like: the way he lays his clothes and shoes all around the house, for the way he fills up the countertops with mail and papers and then can't find his checkbook, for the way he wheezes when he sleeps, or when he honks the horn to tell me it's time to go to church. I love him for all the good things he does with our family too, like: watering the garden and pumpkin patch without being asked, for playing with the boys and jumping on the tramp when they ask him, for making dinner if I'm going to be late, for buying groceries and always knowing what we need, for giving service to others so freely. I love looking at his face, and I love aging with him and growing old together. I love it when he puts his arms around me, or when he lets me cuddle with him, or when he rubs my back. Just being with him brings me comfort and peace. When he or I are gone on separate trips, I miss laying next to him at night and being in his presence during the day. I am so much in love with Joshua Tolman, and I'm glad that I get to be with him and have his last name for the rest of forever.

He surprised me this year with an edible bouquet delivered to my school for our anniversary. All of my students who saw it wanted to partake of it, and when I brought it home, my boys were so excited and couldn't wait to rip into it! It was such a fun surprise and a real treat, and I'm still eating (slowly savoring) some of the chocolate bars. Thanks, honey! ITLY!