Dear Matt,

Can you believe it’s been six years already? Six years since my dad walked me up the aisle, 2,190 days since I met you at the altar of the church where you grew up. You, in that suit from Men’s Wearhouse; me in that dress from David’s Bridal. A pair of white bridal shoes, because my mom told me I’d probably regret wearing colorful heels. I remember getting into the car with you after exiting our reception, your red Toyota Camry, streaked with crepe paper and balloons, looking at each other and grinning; we did it. We’re married. Is this real?

I think I may have learned more about you over the last 365 days than our first five years of marriage combined. Working together, especially being within 15-20 feet of one another for the last nearly-year, it’s taught me a lot about you…

Like how smart you are. How did I never know how smart you are? You’ve slowly taken over as the brains behind most of our biggest breakthroughs AND the day-to-day operations of running a home, and I constantly find myself asking “how on earth did I do this without him?”

And how good you are at dreaming. More than anyone I’ve ever met, you’ve taught me to dream bigger. I verbalize a goal I think is crazy, and you reply “yes,” like it’s the most reasonable thing in the world. Because you have more faith in me than I’ve ever had in myself.

And how wonderful you are at providing for us, at making all our dinners, and gently calling me up for lunch because you know I’ll forget to eat. And taking the puppies out every morning, even though that was supposed to be my chore.

And how humble you are. You’re so modest; I love that when offered praise or commendation, you immediately lift others up. I still don’t know how I tricked you into marrying me, but you maintain that you married up. No, Tiger. I’m the one who hit the jackpot.

And I’ve re-learned how fiercely you love me. At how you never rush me through a happy OR sorrowful moment, and you let me grieve when I’m sad that answer to starting our family is still “not yet.” How you tell me I’m beautiful, every SINGLE day without fail. And how you say it with such conviction that I know it’s not something you say out of duty, but out of observation.

The last year has been hard, no doubt. We’ve seen enormous change, we’ve started to face the rocky road of infertility, we’ve dealt with family difficulty and pain. And yet, and yet… it’s still been the best year of my life.

You are, without a shadow of a doubt, my favorite human being. I love you most.

From our vow renewal last January, by Justin & Mary.

First photograph from our wedding, image by Terra Chandler.