On my fiancé's birthday

I am beyond blessed.

This week I wrote over 50 thank you cards in response to the incredible gifts given to us at our wedding shower.  Over fifty people gathered from St. Paul's Lutheran Church to celebrate the beginning of our marriage.  They came because they adore Daniel as much as I do.

You see, after just nine months in Durham, Daniel has loved his heart out and has received so much love in return.  The people of St. Paul's respect Daniel and adore him more than I could ever imagine in such a short amount of time.  The people didn't come to the wedding shower for me- they came because they genuinely love Daniel so much.  It is one of the reasons I know I have an incredible man to stand next to me for the rest of my life.

Another reason I know this is because I had at least three women hug me at the wedding shower and lean over to tell me what a "special" or "incredible" or "thoughtful" man I have.  I would smile wider and say, "yes, I know. I think he is wonderful too."  But to be honest, I always thought I was a little bit biased.  Daniel loves me so insanely well that it is not hard to love him back and think that he is the bee's knees.  But hearing it from others just proves that what I have believed about him from the start is actually his true character.  I'm not that biased.  Other people think he is pretty amazing too.  And what a blessing that is to hear.

I also hear his sisters talk about him like he hung the moon.  He is thoughtful, kind, considerate, tender.  He loves his niece and nephew with a fierce intensity.  The fact that he chose me to spend his life with shows only that he is more forgiving and patient than anyone I have ever met.

Thousands of women probably say that they feel like the luckiest girl in the entire world.  But if you've met Daniel (and if you've met me), you might realize that it is true when I say I am so very lucky to call him my best friend and partner in life.  I am humbled and honored every day when I look down at the ring on my finger and over at the man sitting next to me.  And I'm lucky not just because of how he loves me, but because of how he loves everyone he encounters.

I am so thankful for all of the memories we have already shared together, and I am so thrilled for an entire lifetime of more.  Happy birthday, best friend. I love you.