Happy Anniversary

Today, five years ago, I married the love of my life. I thought it would be fun to share my vows with my audience here.

. . .

We may have known each other for seven years, but we started dating only about a year and a half ago as a steady couple. During this time, we took a women’s literature class. I got to fall in love with you over words in black and white, words that expressed individuality, words that gave life to romance, adventure, and the possibility of bravery in the face of this world. My favorite book from this time was Jane Eyre.

For those that don’t know, Jane Eyre was revolutionary for its time period. Revolutionary in that it was written by a woman, expressing different views from society, and giving an almost equal relationship between the protagonists. Revolutionary like the way this relationship has completely changed my life. 

One of the best quotes from the novel comes at the end one which Jane states, “Reader, I married him.”

And, well, friends and family who came here today, my story begins with “I married her.”

Love, I vow to write you a fairytale filled with good night kisses and waffles for breakfast. Working towards our happily ever after, I promise to give you a lifetime of adventures with me by your side. I’m sure some days will be more of a drama than the romantic comedy we deserve, so I vow to give you my unwavering support through every hardship with the promise that we will make it through, we will find a way, and we will be happy.

To make you smile will be my life’s greatest goal. To remind you of your beauty will be a daily challenge. To be here with you now is my fairytale coming true. You have my heart, my future, and now my last name. I love you.

. . .

It’s been officially five years. Our lives have changed drastically. We’ve gone through an entire pandemic. We’ve struggled through different jobs and making ends meet in order to keep our home and our loved ones safe.

We’ve had amazing days. We’ve faced devastation. We’ve survived.

My goals haven’t changed, love. You are my everything.

It’s only right to make amendments to vows though, so here’s something I’ve thought of while we sweat through the heat together, working on our separate projects thigh to thigh because we can’t bear to be an inch apart:

• I vow to fill your water bottle whenever you ask. You’re a succulent in terrible need of liquids and a knack for forgetting water is important.
• I vow to listen to every new album by Taylor Swift, staying up to odd hours of the night to get the latest snippet from your favorite singer and listen to your interesting opinions on every single one of them.
• I vow to fold the laundry within two to five business days because your favorite pair of socks are likely at the bottom of it.
• I vow to make you s’mores and warmed cookies and all the little treats you could request while your face is lit by a computer screen as you keep our family afloat with your incredible knack for online work.
• I vow to be here, love. Everyday. In every way.

You, Mrs. Reece, have challenged my every ideal of what the future was supposed to look like for me. I still don’t have a real grasp of what it will be. Perhaps my name will be one remembered for literary genius or artistic value. Perhaps, though, and far more importantly, history will forget me altogether because I never thought to care about anyone’s opinion beyond yours.

Wherever we end up in the next five, ten, twenty years, love, it will be enough simply because you are here beside me.

Happy anniversary. I love you.

You, love. Beautiful as ever.