Matt, I am covered in my favorite blanket listening to the sweet snoring of our dog Ranger. It isn’t actually a sweet sound at all. It is rather annoying. I am trying to block it out as I type up a little blog post for our anniversary that is tomorrow.

I am not good at blocking out such noises and presently I am thankful I cannot. I laugh at myself as I think of how a dog snoring can conjure up an idea. It is just the crazy way my mind works, I guess. Bear with me for a minute while I try to explain.

I glanced back at our dog and was tempted to say his name loudly in hopes he’d wake up from his slumber––so his snoring would cease. I stopped myself though. He looked so peaceful. Our dog has been through so much. We almost lost him. A thought popped up in my mind and it brought his snoring to a quiet background noise. What if we didn’t have Ranger?

It then got me thinking. What if I didn’t have you? You know, you have a sometimes annoying snore as well. What if I didn’t have your snore to wake me up? Seriously, what if we had never met? I’m going to make myself cry. No Matt in my life? Which would mean no Luke and no Oliver either. I can’t bear the thought. I love you and our precious family. I will never stop trying to be the best wife and mother I can be. You boys really do make it easy to never stop trying.

When you are married with kids it is easy to forget how life could have went another way. You get busy. You get used to your life and can take each other for granted. You can allow the little things turn into big things that cloud the good and beautiful things. I think we try not to, but sometimes it just happens.

I immediately think of you wanting to use my pillow or you wanting to sleep on my side of the bed. Do I get annoyed at this sometimes? Of course I do. When I take a step back, though, it is actually something I never want you to stop doing. Funny, how our boys do the same thing, isn’t it? They find comfort in our bed and in using their Mommy’s pillow and blanket. Nothing makes me feel more loved and special than you boys finding comfort in me.

I’m forever thankful every step in my life led me to you and that we now walk this crazy life side by side. I am blessed to have you. I love that you still find comfort in me after all these years. Maybe, just maybe, I ‘ll even let you use my pillow from time to time.

With all my love, Stacy.