You always feel guilty about me marrying into your family and having to deal with all of the tragedy and heartache that has come along with it. It's hard being a Thompson, it hasn't been an easy road by any means. However, I want you to know why I'm not sorry that I married you and what it has given to me, taught me, and how it has refined me.
10. You are obviously the best looking guy that ever walked the face of the earth. I would say, "You had me at hello.", but it was actually before that. It was actually the first time I saw you (which happened to be a glimpse at the back of your neck). I thought that was the sexiest neck I'd ever seen, so we better get married ;) Even though I pretended I didn't like you for a couple of months, I was always crazy about you.
9. You are stronger than an ox. Everytime we have moved or I needed something heavy lifted, you pretty much did it by yourself with your pinky finger. When I watch other people struggle with several men to move couches, washers and dryers, etc... I always have to chuckle and think, "My husband could do that with one hand." I mean, you survived being HIT BY A TRAIN!!!! How many people can say that?!?
8. You are the most loyal, faithful man I could have ever asked for. I have never once had to worry about you being unfaithful to me, let alone even commenting on another women's appearance. You have never even stated that another woman was attractive in over 16 years of being together. You've always made me feel that you only have eyes for me, and that has meant more than you'll ever know.
7. You always know when I've hit my limit and then you step in and get the kids to clean up, stop fighting, or do whatever it is that I have been failing miserably to get them to do. They listen to you a lot better than they do me!
6. You know that my days are always crazy busy, so you always get up and cook the kids breakfast before you leave for work so that I could have a little less work to do to start out my day. It's never just cold cereal or something easy. It's always pancakes, omelets, hashbrowns, bacon, quinoa, etc... you always go all out on breakfast. So now, when I cook breakfast, they always complain that I don't cook breakfast near as well as you do. You must have the magic touch when it comes to the breakfast menu.
5. You would (and have) given up ANYTHING to give the kids opportunities. You would pass up any fishing, golfing, hunting trip or anything else to save the money for something that the kids wanted or needed to do. You would spend every last penny on their lessons or traveling expenses for them to compete in their sports. You would spend every free minute you had helping them accomplish anything they desired to try. You are always so selfless with your own needs and give everything to them... and to me!
4. You always tease me, pinch me, hold me down helpless and breathe on my neck (my worst pet peeve). I know I say I hate it, and I do... but I really do love it in a weird way, because I know it's your way of showing me love and affection.
3. You have shown me that it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. I have been part of your family for 5 of the 8 young and tragic deaths that you have experienced. I love those that passed away as I do my own blood. Your brothers treated me like I was their favorite little sister in the world. They would have done anything for me at the drop of a hat. They gave me a shoulder to cry on if we were fighting, helped me with the kids, cherished the kids as if they were their own. I feel a hole in my heart every day because of the people that I have loved and lost in your family, BUT I would never choose not knowing and loving them over loving them and losing them. I cherish the memories I have with every one of them. I feel the same about you, and I know you would do anything for me, take a bullet for me at any moment. I know you'd do the same for the kids. We could not ask for someone that loves us any more than you do.
2. You have been through more HELL in your life than anyone I've ever known, or even heard of or even read about. You lost your dad at age 8, you lost 3 siblings, 4 nieces and nephews, all of which you were extremely close to and saw on a daily basis. You watched your brother and nephew drown before your very eyes and were helpless to save them and almost drowned yourself. You have more demons and pain to live with every moment than I can even imagine. You've battled leukemia in a little hospital room for over 6 months and have to stare death in the face every moment. You are SO BRAVE!!! You have always gotten up every single morning and tried your best to be happy and live on. You have never, ever, even one time turned to alcohol or drugs to numb your pain. You have always stayed so moral and maintained a deep character when you had every reason not to. You have NEVER given up. You have taught me, by example, not to give up. Every time I think I am going through something hard, I think, "Well, Bryce has been through a million times worse and he's still getting up every day and functioning with a smile on his face." These are priceless lessons that I have learned from you that will help me for the rest of my life. I pray that I will always choose to let my trials make me better instead of bitter, and that our kids will do the same.
1. Our beautiful children... without you, I would never have such incredibly, amazing, awesome, sweet, talented children. I try to take credit for their epicness, but the truth is they probably get most of it from you. They probably get all of their imperfections from me! We have four beautiful, HEALTHY kids that are not plagued by this awful cancer gene. Thanks to the knowledge we were so lucky to obtain about this cancer gene and the miracle of pre-genetic diagnosis invitro fertilization, we can now rest assured that their posterity will not have to suffer as your family has. They need their dad ~ my heart is breaking into a million little pieces every moment because I'm so scared. The future is so uncertain and the odds are so stacked against us. I am praying for a miracle and so is everyone else, but the truth is, we have NO CONTROL. That is the scariest part of life.... but because of you and what you have endured, I know that I will endure whatever comes to pass. I want you to know that I will always put our kids first. I will never get wrapped up in my own pain and neglect them. They will always be first and they will always be loved and taken care of. You still need to fight! I know you feel like giving up sometimes, but I know you won't. You never have and you never will give up, and that is the greatest thing you have ever taught me. I love you forever and always and I would never be the person I am today without experiencing so many trials by your side. Smooth seas never made good sailors and even though I HATE stormy seas, I hope I'm becoming and will continue to become as good of a sailor as you are.
No comments:
Post a Comment