To my husband, on your birthday.

I have spent 11 years to the month loving you. When you walked into the room of our Art History class I had to do a double take. Without your beard, you looked exactly like Brandon Flowers from The Killers- a band that I had recently started listening to. It was puppy love at first sight. Then when you sat one seat away from me I thought I was going to pass out. Only, you left that spot open for your girlfriend at the time. Still, I knew that we would become friends and I didn’t mind waiting for you.

Fast-forward to six months later, and by then we were best friends. Then suddenly you were single! We waited another month before dating. Five months later we almost broke up but became engaged instead (what?!), and less than four months later we eloped!

We were young, penniless, naive university students who were only living in our first condo together because we used our parent’s money towards a down payment instead of a wedding. We relied a lot on family at the beginning of our marriage, and it would’ve been much more difficult without their generosity. We didn’t know much except that we loved one another madly.

We were so passionate about everything. We fought often, lived in two different provinces while you went to school and I worked to support us, travelled, moved often, turned down scholarships and additional schooling, rescued pets, and so much more. Still through it all we always remained each other’s best friend.

We had exactly five childless years before I became pregnant with Remy. It was then that our marriage changed completely. After she was born we seemed to grow up overnight. We tried desperately to navigate through the tricky waters of being first-time parents. Without the help from our family and with very little friends, you finished yet another program and went on to work at a low-paying job while I worked from home. We moved into our rental, then sold it and moved again. I started a master’s program, my job ended, and for the first time in our marriage I realized that I no longer wanted to work and only wanted to stay home with our child (and future children).

You never questioned me. Instead you worked a full-time and part-time job to support our family, often sleeping in your truck. Then you found a career where you would be able to pay our bills and have us live comfortably. You moved to another province for two months to start and complete training, then came back for two months. I became pregnant for the second time, and once again you had to move away for work.

You were gone for three months. In that time we lost that child, but became pregnant with Wilder on one of your visits home! You missed Christmas and your birthday. However, you continued to work so hard, and haven’t stopped yet.

Two and a half years ago I asked you to be the sole provider for our family. I told you that it would be my dream come true. You went and accomplished that almost immediately. We had so many trials during that time, but in the end you became the man I always knew you would be.

You are so kind, patient, and loving. You’re a hard worker, hardly ever complain, are quiet, strong, optimistic, and so much more. You’ve continued to be my best friend after all of these years, and I still love you more than anyone else (except our children ;-))).

Happy birthday, Geo my love! I hope that we have another sixty-four plus years together.

Em

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