Three Little Words

I read this off a blog link last week and thought it was sweet. It certainly sums up the way your whole life changes in the biggest and yet most simple way when you get married.

These were my six-month old wife thoughts. I'm grateful to have them captured this way.

Maybe it was from reading that blog or maybe I'm just feeling nostalgic lately, but the other day when I was getting off the phone with Dre and we did the whole "ok, love you, bye!" at the end of our call I realized how strange it was that there was once a time when we didn't do that. A "long time" ago, in what feels like an entirely different life, I didn't even know Dre existed. In the more recent ancient past I knew he existed and thought he was great but not "like that" and never ever would have imagined I would fall in love with him. And then somehow I did, hard and pretty fast. Then there was the one night when he said "I just love you" for the first time in the cutest, sweetest, most wistful voice while we were sitting on the swing in my parent's backyard. And that was that. Ever since then, nearly every time we talk, nearly every time we part ways, we say those little words and while their meaning has somewhat evolved over the last few years and I know they will continue to deepen in meaning and significance. There's never a time when I don't 'mean it' though there certainly are times when it carries more meaning. (Maybe that only makes sense in my head.) Somehow the other day though it just struck me as funny to remember that there was a time before loving him and even then a time before that simple phrase was the one most uttered in our relationship.

(I just love this picture.)

I love you Baby. Lots and lots. I'm more grateful for you than words can say. And while our little life has had quite a few more twists and turns than we expected thus far I cannot imagine walking through it with anyone but you.