[Editor’s note: This story is a letter from a woman to her husband. While this is one example of one type of relationship, we understand, appreciate and celebrate that relationships come in all forms and configurations.]

Dear husband,

When we met I thought I had found love so raw, so deep, and so genuine that I would never fall in love again. I was wrong.

When you cried the first time you met our firstborn and cut his umbilical cord, I fell in love again.

When I was covered in milk stains, pumping on one side and nursing on the other, unshowered and in the same pants I had worn all week and you told me I was beautiful, I fell in love again.

When you stayed up all night building the master Lego Set on Christmas Eve, I fell in love again.

When there was no heartbeat on the ultrasound, and you knew that no words could take the pain away so you just hugged me tight, I fell in love again.

When I woke up and noticed your side of the bed still made and I found you downstairs making the best Easter Egg Hunt ever, I fell in love again.

When I was 9 months pregnant and you painted my toenails for me, I fell in love again.

When I forgot about my contractions because you had me laughing so hard in the delivery room with our second-born, I fell in love again.

When you remembered to move that silly Elf every night in December, I fell in love again.

When you watched Love Actually with me for the 5th time, I fell in love again.

When the whole house was sick and you were on toilet duty, I fell in love again.

When you wouldn’t leave my side when our youngest was in distress and prayed for both of us and asked the doctors a million questions, I fell in love again.

When I found you sleeping on the floor next to the crib, I fell in love again.

When you taught our boys that chivalry matters and that you should still hold the door for people even if they can open the door themselves, I fell in love again.

When you worked 30 hours of overtime in two weeks so that we could afford a family vacation, I fell in love again.

When the roller coaster three times even though you have motion sickness because it made the boys happy, I fell in love again.

When I find another wrinkle or another grey hair and you tell me I get prettier with age, I fall in love again.

Some say love is blind. I disagree. To know true love is to go in eyes wide open and see each other wholly and completely with love and acceptance. Encouragement and patience. True love is what happens when we are at our worst and helps us see the light. I get to that every day. Again and again.