To my husband,

I knew that there was something different about you the first time I laid my eyes on you. And though I could not put my finger on it then, it has become more than evident now. Your love. Your love is my sanctuary. My refuge. The one place where I can become undone yet still feel as whole as I have ever been. When you love, you love with every fiber of your being. And over these years, as we have journeyed through life together—through sun and storm—you have showered me with the most glorious adoration. 

I have been more than grateful to be a daily recipient of your love, the main recipient for quite some time. But since we’ve had our child, I have seen that love expand in ways unimaginable. And I am overjoyed that our son is now on the receiving end. Because every day, he gets to witness a resemblance of pure and genuine love. He gets to experience both of our love combined—and it is a gift that will carry him and shelter him through life. 

Related: Don’t forget that I am always on your team

This is the love that we have been building for over ten years. And even through our ups and downs, I wouldn’t want it any other way. I would still choose you. From immature teenagers—making mistakes and fumbling in our youth—to parents now. I would still choose you. Because our story is ours. Built with our bare hands and tailor-made just for us. And now we have an addition to our narrative—our son. So our love has shifted. It has stretched as wide as the horizon and reached as far as the moon—perhaps even further.

Now, we are anointed as the earthly guardians over our sweet little boy, and that to me is the highest devotion that we have been tasked with together. Because our emotional connection to each other sets the foundation for how he will perceive and understand love. And the way that we are with each other will shape his understanding of love as not only an emotion, but as an interaction. As an exchange. As a communion.

Because through the way that we love each other, we are reassuring our child that love is a powerhouse.

So each and every day we cover him in our love. Through the morning kiss before you rush out the door for work. Through the way we laugh and dance in the kitchen at times. Through our movie nights or weekend walks. Through the way one is strong where the other is weak, and how we balance each other out. Our child is watching and taking it all in. 

Some days may not be as bright and joyous as others. Sure we will argue sometimes or need to take our own space, but we are always mindful of how we treat each other. And love and respect always remain at the forefront. 

Related: This mom’s post about marriage is so relatable 

So thank you for showing me a love that our child will remember. You embody a heart of servitude like no other. And your selflessness and generosity has and will continue to carry our family a long way. 

I hope that our child will take our love and carry it through life, translating it through his actions and his words to others. I hope that he will display kindness, respect and warmth wherever he goes—just like we do. Because beyond the four walls of our home, love is not as obvious or consistent. But human beings are wired for connection, so love is needed everywhere. 

So thank you for showing me a love that our son will remember. Because we are just two beings, raising our child to be one more kind and compassionate person that the world has to offer. And through the way that we love each other, we are reassuring him that love is a powerhouse—the one thing able to withstand the storms and sustain anyone through this thing that we call life.