Friday Ramblings: A Love Letter

I was able to get this little bird idea of mine out of my head and on to paper today.

I thought I would share her with you today, along with the amazing love letter I read.

The love letter had an odd beginning..

It started in my email from "Anonymous"

Usually this means spam on my blog and I just delete the gibberish.

This time though, there were four in a row and I wondered what was up.

When I opened the first one, I was surprised to see it was from my husband and it began like this:

Yes to reading 100 of your previous posts – actually I have read all 660. On 12/11/13 I started a journey with your blogsite and I committed to reading every one of your posts. It has taken 4 months to read them all. Let me just start by saying I love you even more.

What. The. HECK?

We had gotten into a "lively" discussion the night before, as he had asked me to show him a couple of posts because he hadn't read my blog in quite a while. I showed him one and that seemed to be enough for him. 

I was just a tiny bit miffed, but figured boys aren't really into blogs.

I continued to read:

I can’t say why I never read your posts before - I know every now and then you would show me one and I would think “cool” or “amazing” but I never thought to join with your regular readers and “follow you.” Maybe I did not read your posts because of my own crazy busy life, maybe because I was living this life with you and did not feel the need to review it, maybe for a hundred other reasons. All I can say is that now I have read them and have enjoyed every moment. It’s funny how when one lives with someone for 28 years they think they know all there was to know. I enjoyed moving through the photos and stories of the projects, colors, new techniques, kitchen food and fun with you and the girls, flowers, friends, places, etc, etc. I have been spiritually encouraged as you integrate quotes from the Bible, “Jesus Calling,” Christian songs and your own thoughts and prayers that speak so well of our Father’s love. Your writings brought me tears, laughter, and so many memories about our girls, our dogs (former) and even me. But most importantly it gave me a deeper look into your dreams, your art, and your soul.

Let me stop and tell you that I began to cry.

Big, boo-hoo, let-it-all-out tears.

For an hour.

My husband continued commenting to the point where it took four times to post.

He highlighted his thoughts on posts like this:

1/30/14 Posted about B’s art, saying you will give a portion of your sales to NDSS and yet behind the scenes you were momentarily challenged in raising our daughter with special needs. Amazing that you can give when sometimes your own cup seems empty.

8/23/10 and 5/10/10 Your thoughts and concerns about B’s finishing 8th grade and beginning her first day of high school – and now 4 years later we see what has happened – God is faithful, B is resourceful, and you are an amazing mom. Can we learn from the unfounded fears of 4 years ago and together move with greater confidence to her next season of life?
8/14/10 B turns 16. You post the Italy/Holland story. All kinds of tears flowed again. The wonders of what if? The joys of what is! Thanks for staying with me in Holland and I am so glad you got to visit Italy.

Honest truth.

He read every single post. He did it at work on breaks and it took him four months.

Four months.

He read for four months, took notes of the ones that had highlights for him and told me about them.

That?

That's a love letter.

He continues:

5/18/11 The photo of Lauren looking out over Florence (and the world) is forever etched into my ibrain photo book.
8/23/10 Lauren, Hall of Records, needs a passport- watches as several groups of people are waiting to get married – she decides that this is defiantly not the way she wants to have her wedding (and I think “Darn! - all the money we could save!”)

 ..later we realize a life truth taught to us by our gracious Father – that when we love, and let this love go into His care, the love returns, stronger and wiser for the journey, with greater love all around. And in this love’s life, not only does she return willingly, but she now brings her husband to be, Stephen, rich with love for our love and rich with love for our family. We are blessed.

10/10/13 I like the shark reference -“my husband, who I liken to a shark (if they stop swimming they die)…”

5/5/11 Thanks for all the hard work in promoting RAAM 2011 – until I read this post I never knew you did this. Did I tell you I love you? (Do you really think I look good in bike shorts? I could wear them all the time….)

1/7/12 Tears on “An Ending”

1/7/14 You could not remember what the numbers “27” and “4” on the gunmetal box represented. 27 years of marriage and 4 in our family; at least that’s what you told me when I asked… (Don’t worry about lapses in memory – I will remember for you and you can listen for me)

Something for all of you:

4/6/11 At some point in our life we will go to the Arno River in Florence and put a love lock on a fence post. I promise. The folks in blogland can hold me to this.

1/18/11 I like when Carol calls you “brave Bear.”

I think I cried hardest at this one:

7/16/09 This was your first post that I finally read a few weeks ago. There were 6 responses. I wish I were the 7th.

My sweet husband ends with this:
4/3/14 You posted a photo of one of your newest paintings with the following quote: “I love you much most beautiful darling more than anyone on earth and I like you better than everything in the sky.“
When our Father spoke of the things that remain: faith, hope and love, He knew what he was saying when he told us the greatest of these is love.
Lynn Richards - for reasons that live in this blog post and oh so much more – I live you much most.
Your new follower,
D

Thank you for taking the time to read this and letting me share one of my greatest loves in my life.

linking to paintparty friday