When you’re single, you’ve got a list (at least a mental one) of all the qualities you hope to find in a spouse.

He has to be smart. Funny. Faithful and active in the church. Handsome.

When you meet the guy who could be “the one”, you ask yourself a whole bunch of questions: Do I see myself marrying him? Buying a house? Having kids? Growing old together? Spending eternity getting to know each other?

Maybe, when the answer to all those questions is “yes”, that’s when most people decide to get married.

I knew I was going to marry Michael weeks before we were even officially a “couple”.

But being young and even more clueless about life than we are now, I didn’t realize that there were a whole bunch of other questions you’ll need to answer yes to when you commit your life to someone else.

Will you work hard while still finishing college to care for the both of you?
Wipe her tears when she’s crying over some completely irrational fear?
Remind her who she is when she forgets and isn’t sure which path to take?
Care about the things she cares about (even if that means spending $400 on surgery for a guinea pig)?
Never complain about having frozen pizza for the third time in one week?
Let her steal all your pajamas when her big, pregnant belly doesn’t fit in her own?
Hold her hand through thirty hours of labor?
Tell her that she’s wonderful and beautiful, even when she feels like she’s failed and is a complete mess?

I’ve been blessed with a companion who has always said yes.

I could not be more thankful. Five years ago, I never imagined where we’d be right now. I couldn’t have predicted how intensely we’d love our little girl, and how blessed we’d be to be welcoming another princess so soon.

Thank you, buddy, for the most amazing (and fastest) five years of my life. I’m so grateful to be on this journey with you.