Happy Valentine's Day.
I still smile when I think about how we met, both of us reaching for the last library copy of the same book. Neither of us knew then that we were reaching for something much bigger. I'm so glad neither of us let go of the idea that day, and that we ended up sharing more than a book.
I want to tell you what I love about you, because I don't say it often enough. You are steady. When things feel loud or uncertain, you are the calm place I walk toward. Being near you feels like coming in from the cold and finding a lamp already lit, a blanket already warm, and you sitting there as if you had been waiting just for me.
You are kind in a way that never needs an audience. It shows in small things, like the way you listen and the way you notice when I'm tired before I say a word. And yes, you are terrible at keeping secrets. I have decided that is one of my favorite things about you. Everything good in you shows right on the surface, and I never have to wonder where I stand.
I'm so proud of you for running your first half marathon. I thought about all the early mornings and the effort it took, and about how you simply kept going, one step after another, the way you do with everything. I feel lucky to be the one who gets to cheer for you.
Most of all, I love how you make ordinary days feel like an adventure. Sunday pancakes become a celebration. A long walk with the dog becomes a little journey where anything could happen. You turn the everyday into something I look forward to, and I wouldn't trade those simple mornings for anything.
Thank you for being my home, Sam. I love you today, tomorrow, and on every plain, wonderful Sunday still to come.