9th Anniversary present

Jonathan wrote me this for our 9th anniversary! I wanted to share!

Just the Beginning

We have a story, you and I.
A book to be written, a sonnet to be sung.
Evidence of our destiny to be one.

When we met, our dates never included roses and fine dining, and not even as much as the occasional flirt.
Instead we spent our time, at age 5, playing tag and sitting in the dirt.

I often wonder and delve into memory,
And I think the answer is yes, even then, I knew what you would mean to me?

In that time of celery sticks, games and freeze tag winning,
Who was to know that it was just the beginning?

It was forever apart, it seemed, before we were found.
Middle School was our new playground.
Tough times for me and good ones for you.
And yet, our friendship somehow stayed true.

I think it was your touch, your smile and your face.
A good conversation every morning, in the same place.
I don’t think you know how you left my head spinning.
And somehow I knew it was just the beginning.

Again I left you for another two years.
I had to get away from all of the fears.
I had no idea that when I saw you again
It would be in a whole new way, so much more than a friend.

It started very slowly, an occasional glance your way.
But then by tenth grade, I thought of you every moment of the day.

Again, it was your touch, your smile and your face.
But most of all, a good conversation after lunch, everyday in the same place.

I remember the day that I realized the truth.
I was so in love, and in your hands was my fate.
Yet, I was too good of a friend for you to date.
And so I impatiently decided to wait.

For three more wonderful years we grew closer as friends.
For those same terrible years I had to hear of your boyfriends’ sins.

I wanted so much to hurt anyone who put tears on your face.
Yet, I was glad that you came to me for hard conversations in a safe place.

Time went on and not to take credit or say that “I won,”
But our love and life together, had just begun.

In college you were finally ready to roll the friendship dice.
I have to thank some of your friends for giving you that advice.
On New Years Day, Nineteen Ninety-Eight,
My dream finally came true and we began to date.

There are no words to describe my emotions that night
I woke my sister to tell her “I kissed Kelly Argenbright.”
It sounds so funny, but it’s true.
I was astonished, amazed, scared and excited about a future with you.

Here we were, just barely twenty, and all our hopes on each other we were pinning. And yes, it was only the beginning.

Nine years have now gone by since you became my wife.
What we’ve experienced in that time could fill a life.

The first 3 years brought us a home, two degrees, a dog and a child. We were never exactly considered wild.

Year four was rough and not what we expected.
But sometimes God leads you through the desert to give perspective.

Year five was another wonderful year.
We came back home to friends and a community we hold so dear.

The blessings kept coming as we added another son.
Now we had two and this was going to be “fun!”

Years six and seven went by extremely fast.
It’s so hard to believe all of this is in the past.
In year eight we had another boy, who wasn’t so light.
But to our surprise and sadness, to come home safe he would have to fight.

Year nine has not been easy, but what makes it okay,
Is coming home to you and our family each and everyday.
We’ve had new challenges, jobs and choices.
We’ve listened to advice and friendly voices.

We’ve gotten through it together and the future is very bright.
And still I look forward to seeing you each and every night.
After nine years, it’s still your touch, your smile and your face.
But also, a good conversation each night in the same place.

Thank you for being my friend and my wife.
I love you.