why do you love me?

a question that is often posed to me by my husband, usually during one of my fits of frustration. frustrated for reasons which apparently only i comprehend. yes...my husband frustrates me (i know i return the feeling 100 fold). and yes...he knows that i love him. i have come to understand the question as being rhetorical. but yet i still find more reasons as to why i love him than for being frustrated at him (even though he may think otherwise). so this post is for the man that i love, for all to read.

why do i love you you ask me? because from the first time i saw you, i knew that simply by the way you carried yourself, there was pride about who you were. because from the first time you saw me, you told yourself that something was different about her. because you asked me what i wanted out of life and knew that when i told you i wanted to be a mom, that 'sealed the deal'. because after only 3 months, you believed in us to ask me to marry you. because you gave me the feeling of 'this only happens in movies' when you proposed.

because you put catnip in your pocket to make me believe keagan was your buddy the first time you met him. because you put up with my idiosyncrasies, my ocd tendencies, my moods. because you can't figure out why i have nothing to wear when i have clothes with tags still on them. because you can drive from montana to florida in 48 hours (need i expand on that one?)

because you take pride in your work. because you have integrity in all things you do and that integrity is unwavering. because people come to you for advise and truly listen to what you say. because not giving your all at something is simply unacceptable. because you are so incredibly good at all things you do.

because you let me cut your toenails (knowing that blood might be a consequence). because the answer 'no the dog may not come in' does not apply (not sure how this one slipped in here) no how matter how many times you ask. because as mad as i get about the 'no the dog may not come in' answer but she comes in anyways, rolling around on the bed, couch, floor, lord knows what else, you still make me laugh (no, the dog may still not come in). because 'no keagan can not have cream' apparently does not apply either...yet you still make me laugh. because you make me laugh in the oddest of ways at the oddest of times.

because i love the way you smell.

because you have so graciously accepted my family as your own. because you are like my father and he is one of my heroes.

because i can trust you.

because you tell me that you love me and mean it. because you show me that you love me and mean it. because you want to spend time with me and mean it. because you are the same person whether you are in public or private.

because you are a man who knows and loves God.

for so many reasons that that make you the person that you are, i love you. for so many reasons that you have made me the person i am, thank you.