My Best Friend

Gerry-

Five years ago, today, we were married!  You already made me the happiest woman in the world...but I had no idea the best was yet to come. I know we've had our ups and downs (and we will continue to have them.) But I know, when I go to bed every night, that God has truly blessed me in more ways than I'll ever know when He brought us together.

You are a wonderful husband.  In five years, we have gotten married, graduated me from college, gave birth to 2 children and dealt with my skin cancer diagnosis.  You have supported me in every way and I could not have asked for a better partner to spend this life with.  You do so many other things for me and our family that I can't thank you enough for.

1) You work. You work hard at a demanding job so that I can stay home with our kids.  You provide for us in every way so we can have a good life, wear nice clothes, eat healthy food, have a nice house, drive a nice mini-van.  Although these are all material things...they are nice to have and it's because of you that we are able to have them.

2) You do things that are inconvenient in order to help me.  I can't even count the number of times you go to the grocery store after you've worked all day, just so I don't have to take both kids with me. I swear Wal-Mart is your second home!  You take vacation or go into work late so I can go to my doctor appointments without bringing the kids.  You bring work home with you so you can be here for dinner/bath/bed time, and then work after the kids go to bed.

3) You take care of things.  You make sure to get all the regular maintenance done on our vehicles, you manage our money, pay the bills, clean things that I don't want to (the drains, the exhaust fans to name a few) deal with the trash, cut the grass, wash the house, etc. You do all of these things to keep what we have nice, and although I may give you a hard time, I love you for it!

4) You love me.  You still open the car door for me and ask me if "I'm in", you will always leave the last piece of pizza for me, you buy me chocolate when you go to the grocery store, you plan weekend getaways and let me go on shopping sprees, you let me plan huge birthday parties for our girls, you agreed to finish the basement and build a deck, you rub my feet, you call just to check in and say hi and you ask me how my day was - even though you probably already know.

5) You are an amazing dad.  Your dedication and love for your family continues to amaze me.  I have loved watching you learn to become a father...from the minute Maria was born.  I love to watch the girls play with you and their excitement when you come home from work.  At night, when you are putting the girls to bed,  I can hear you reading to them on the monitor.  Sometimes I just stop what I'm doing and listen to Poor Pluto, Ten in the Meadow, or David Goes to School with tears in my eyes.  I often wonder how many dads are reading to their girls right now at this moment?  How many little girls are lucky enough to have a dad that gets up everyday, goes to work, comes home to eat dinner with his family, and then reads to his girls before bed?  It doesn't sound like a big deal...but the impact you are making on them now is really shaping who they are going to be as adults.  Your presence and commitment is leaving it's mark and it's going to make them better, stronger women. So, for that, I am thankful.  

We  have had a fantastic 5 years!  I still can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you!
Thank you for who you are and thank you for loving me.

Happy Anniversary!
I love you!
~Cara