First of all, I want to say thank you. I try to say it as often as I can, but I know it can never nearly be enough or can even cover the surface of how much I truly appreciate you. There are plenty of small things you do that I don’t say thank you for but should. Like the fact you pig out with me and appreciate my hearty appetite. Or for sharing your food with me when I beg (even though food is the number one thing you don’t like sharing). Or for putting up with the fact I like to take selfies of anything we do together even though you can’t stand taking pictures. Thank you for being nice when my legs aren’t perfectly shaved all the time, but acknowledging them when they are. Thank you for always being the driver and even more so for putting up with the anxiety attacks you give me because of your driving. Thank you for giving me massages when I need them most and for always pretending to be interested in my current Netflix binge.

But the number one thing I don’t tell you thank you enough for is loving me. I know I’m not the easiest person to love, but you do it anyways. I’m a chronic over-thinker, I overreact way more than I should, and every once in a while I’m a little bit insecure. But you choose me to love every single day. So thank you for loving me during the days I don’t love myself. For loving me during the days when I’m being the biggest pain in your butt. For loving me during the days I can’t decide what mood I’m in. You love me during every good, bad, crazy, and unbelievable moment and I’m so blessed I get to experience that every day with you. If you had told me we would be where we are now when we first met, I probably would have laughed. But you turned out to be everything I never knew I needed and everything I never knew I was looking for.

I thought I knew what “love” was before we met, but it was only this façade I created from bits of movies and stories from friends. I thought it was this state of being among two people that meant happiness and bliss and happily ever after. I thought that all of a sudden, once you were in love, everything became easy. However, I never knew how infuriating and trying it could be; that’s the part nobody mentions. But even on the most difficult of days, it’s worth it. Love makes you selfless and patient. Love makes you kind and aware. Love makes you laugh until you can’t breathe. Love makes you humble. And you know who taught me these things? You. You taught me what it means to love and be loved. You found parts of me I didn’t know existed, and in you I found a love I no longer believed was real.

They say you don’t need someone to make you happy, and maybe that’s true, but it does make it a little easier. It lets you know there’s always someone there that has your back. Someone cheering you on and believing in you even when you’re not so sure of yourself. Someone that will make you smile even when that’s the last thing you want to do. Someone that makes you feel like the most important person on this planet and will constantly prove to you how much they believe this to be true. Someone who wipes the tears away, tells you it’s going to be okay, and lets you know how beautiful you are on the inside and out. You do all of these things and so much more and I have never been so in love and so happy. You are my best friend, my rock, my confidant, and most of all, the man of my dreams.

They also say love is like coming home from a long trip and, well, I’m so glad to finally be home.