Mrs. Bandersnatch,
I love you with all my heart. You are the love of my life, and I love you more each day we are together. I dream of growing old with you someplace warm. To hold you in my arms makes me forget everything else in the world. To be held in your arms is to not only forget everything else in the world, but also to assume everything in that world is wonderful.
This year celebrates our tenth year together and our fourth year of marriage. How is it that we actually hooked up? I spend my whole life traveling, getting into Chicago a few times a year at the most. When I met you for the first time, I knew I was in love, and you would be a part of my life.
Your fiery red hair was only a hint of the passion within. Your eyes are the color of emeralds, and their depth suggests the mines these gems come from. Your fifty thousand watt smile seemed to light up all of Chicago for me. Your ability to care about everything that suffers from my apathy makes you the perfect Yin to my Yang.
It was at this point I specifically started adjusting my schedule to be in the Chicago office more. I lived six hundred miles away and to contrive reasons for me to be in the office required extra effort of both of our imaginations. My colleagues did the opposite, spending time in the office was for most, an exercise in mental anguish, and career suicide. Your presence dictated that I eventually move to Chicago.
I love the way you didn’t take offense and still talked to me when my first gift to you was a box of condoms for your use on a blind date. And I will always love you for returning that gift when our relationship was a little more serious.
Your love was my motivation to finally grow into adulthood after the age of thirty. You have grown as well, and as much as I would like to take some credit for this, I know it was your extraordinary combination of ambition tempered with patience that has taken you to where you are today.
I love that you have tolerated my bizarre work schedule. You spent our first eight years seeing me mostly on weekends. Now we only get to see each other monthly. I love you for making whatever time we have together “Quality time”. I assure you my work schedule will change soon, Princess.
I love you for the fact that you are about the most brilliant person I know. That I can occasionally keep up with you intellectually makes me feel a little more intelligent.
I love the way you have supported me through multiple episodes of depression and weight fluctuations. I love the way you make me want to be more than I am otherwise capable of.
I love that after you knew I would never have children, you still married me. Be very certain, I know how important having children was to you at one time, and I will never underestimate the sacrifice you have made to be with me. While you are amazing around kids, thank you for not making me feel that this choice was the biggest mistake of my life. And thank you or not trying to change my mind.
I love the way you keep our home in such terrific shape. The house should have been torn down and rebuilt. As it is we have spent a truly extraordinary sum to make it livable, and your gifts for making it a home make that sum seem trivial.
Princess, no one you know has someone who loves them more than I love you. I still cannot believe how lucky I am to have met and fallen in love with you. You are in my thoughts and dreams every second of every day. Everything I say, do, think, feel, need, or dream includes you and is focused on ways to enhance our life together–now and in the future. The only future I am focused on is the one that includes you as my partner. What job I have, how much money I make, where I live, how long I live,—all are irrelevant options at this time. I just don’t care. The only thing I care about is being with you.
Happy Anniversary Mrs. Bandersnatch.
