I can’t believe that it has been 11 years since we got married. 11 years since we made that commitment to each other and to God. How can I even begin to put into words what being married to you feels like? How do I describe how you make me feel?

Our anniversary is a time to remember the good times, reflect on the bad and a time to look ahead to our dreams together. Do you remember when we were first dating? Remember spending every moment possible with each other and spending every other moment thinking about each other? Do you remember talking on the phone for hours and hours about anything and everything? Do you remember smiling constantly thinking about one other and anticipating the next time we saw each other? Do you remember laughing so hard? Do you remember the joy of being in love and knowing you were loved back just as much? Do you remember the thrill of it all? Do you feel how all of these things have come back, after so many years, with the introduction of Male Chastity in our marriage? It is a blessing to fall in love but to fall in love with my best friend is so rare and beyond expectations.

I Love you for so many reasons, I Love you for opening my eyes and showing me my self-worth. I Love you for being my strength when I am weak, I Love you for being my rock through hard times and I Love you for the caring person that you are.

I love that we get excited about the same little things. The simple things – a holiday, watching an episode of our favorite tv show, a gloss of wine, tossing each other mini marshmallows, going for a walk, sharing desserts, laughing till we cry. I love that glowing look you get in your eyes right before you tell me you love me. I love that you ask me how I am feeling—for no reason. Just because you want to make sure I’m doing okay.

My words can’t possibly express what my heart feels so deeply. You love me just the way God created me, with every scar and imperfection. You see past my outward flaws into the depths of my heart and you love me just the same. Just one look from you and I know everything is going to be ok.

Our lives are busy and our days are full, but somehow you always manage to make me feel like the center of your world. Every day, in a thousand ways, you tell me how much you love me and though I often take it for granted, I couldn’t imagine life without your sweet service, gestures and affection:

…”I love you,” whispered in my ear each morning when you get in from work,

…washing dishes and laundry in the evening,

…curling up to you after the kids are in bed and listening to your voice as we talk about anything and everything,

…rubbing my feet just to help me relax,

…watching the kids shriek with delight when you run around the house with them on your back,

…kisses planted on my cheek in the kitchen,

…witnessing the births of our children, and rejoicing over the blessings that God has entrusted into our care,

…coming home with my favorite coffee,

…forgetting and forgiving all the times I’m grumpy, whiny, or emotional,

…giving 110% at work all night and coming home to lovingly greet your wife and patiently listen to the excited children who have a hundred and one things they want to tell you as soon as you step inside the door,

…even though you work an odd schedule, you always shovel the driveway and take out the garbage and help with chores around the house because you’re a true gentleman.

…praying with and for me,

…long talks involving our deep, mutual interests: homeschooling, politics, sports, and economics, sex and fantasies

…how you always ask, “Can I bring breakfast home?” exactly when I’m feeling overwhelmed and way behind on everything,

…how you send me text messages every night from work asking how my day’s going and and never forgetting to write: “I Love you!”

…how you lean back, pat your stomach after dinner and say, “Thanks for the good food, baby,” even if it was one of my experiments gone wrong,

…I love how I fit perfectly inside your embrace when you wrap your arms around me and say, “Let’s just hug for a few minutes,”

…the interest you take in this little blogging hobby of mine and how you happily take the time to read and edit my posts even though you could be doing so many other things,

…the way you put your family first, the way you mean what you say and say what you mean, the way you have rarely ever raised your voice at me in anger, the way you make us feel safe, secure, cherished, and treasured.

We are so alike, and so different, in all the right ways. You are my best friend, and I am so blessed that God chose you to be my husband. And that you feel the same way. We feel equally blessed—and I love that. I love us. I love our life together. I love you.

The way you love me, the way you have come into my life, I wish that this journey never ends till I die. Thanks for making this day special in my life. Happy Anniversary, my love you are my soul mate and I was incomplete without you.