My dearest Emily,

Another Valentine's Day with you and another year. We are embarking on our 8th year together, second full year of marriage and to say it's been easy would be a fat ole' lie. Right now it seems we have worlds between us, and our honeymoon phase is far from over. It seems that our routine has gotten the better of us and the worst of us all in the same breath. But in the mix of our ebbs and flows, I do know one thing, actually I know many things.

I am grateful for your partnership in parenting. Really, it's tough and we both make awful decisions sometimes when it comes to parenting, but we have two healthy, smart, and happy kids. You're consistent where I am not, you are understanding when I am at my ropes end, you are the best 1/2 of a whole parenting duo that I could ask for.

I love your survivalist-state-of-mind. I might seem annoyed at times, but I do love that you are preparing for the apocalypse for us. I think with you on my side, I would get so much farther than if you weren't. I mean we could be the real-life Carol and Daryl (The Walking Dead reference, I love you boo). Or if you want to get nasty, I could be the Lucille to your Negan!

I love that you want better. Whether it's with us, the kids, friends, family, you name it, I know you want better for everyone. I also know that this year we are going to be the "better" for each other, even though it seems like right now, we are at crossroads.

I want to keep an open mind when it comes to us, because haven't we been through way worse than this? Our arguments may seem endless at times, but the fact that we can move on (for the most part) means something, right? We say hateful stuff to each other, but don't we apologize and chuck it up to annoyance? Don't we try to kiss and make up no matter how angry we get?

Keep in mind, we have a lot of things going on around us that contribute to our stresses including broken friendships, addictions, deaths, liars, a stressful job, limited time in the day, car troubles, money issues, and so many other things that contribute to our down times. We both fall victim to the negativity in our lives that just suck us in. We can't blame each other for that, those things happen to the best of people. What we can do is try to move forward.

I know that I seem set in my ways, and for a lot of things you are too, but isn't that one of the reasons we love each other? Haven't we always had our quirks? Haven't you always had a mouth on you since childhood and haven't I always been a punk? Haven't you always had some sort of temper and I've been pretty much bitchy my entire life, right? Do we let those things lead us or do we lead those characteristics? I say we need to lead them. Let's not let those things define us as a couple. You're my girl, forever. You have always been there for me, no question. So why question it now?

I know that we get in our grove of tranquility and then we have our storms, but we move on, we are resilient as a couple. We have weathered much worse than some arguments about blah blah blah! We are strong independently and together. I know things seem hard, but loving you isn't one of those things. Being with you, yes is hard, but wanting to be with you is easy. Kissing you is like breathing air. Being next to you is how my life should be. I hope that through our hard times you will still want to be my Valentine, because if you weren't then I would be lost. I have been without you and those times are some of the hardest to grasp in my life, I don't want that feeling or that emptiness ever again. Even if things seem heavy on my shoulders or I might seem unhappy, there have never been untruer words spoken.

I love you, Emily.