Dear Parentals,

Growing up, I’ve had the privilege of living in a home where my two parents stuck together- where divorce was simply not an option. I wanted to take this time to not put anyone down who has had a divorce, but to thank you both for all the ways this decision of yours has impacted my life positively.

Seeing the two of you side by side for my 19 years of life has given me so much security in every relationship that I have. There is optimism in knowing that the two people who set your whole foundation of love have stuck together for your entire lifetime thus far. There is a strong feeling of both safety and stability that resonates with me when I think of you two.

Being able to witness the charisma y’all demonstrate to love each other has given me some indicators on what to look for/exercise. With my own relationships, I’ve learned to practice the arts of patience, perseverance, gratefulness, unity, and unconditional love. It’s taught me to give others the benefit of the doubt and to train myself to forgive easier. To hold on to the people in my life that I love and care for.

I’m so grateful that whenever my life seems to be crashing down, there has always been a foundation of love to come home to. It’s not just y’alls relationship that leads me to feel this way--it’s that because of the choice you make to love each other, we have a unified, tight knit family. Because of y’alls relationship, I can look forward to every Monday being “Bachelor” night with my family. I can look forward to traveling with all five of my favorite people. I will never have to feel pressured to choose who I want to spend time with because we will always be doing everything together. I could never express enough how thankful I am for that lack of tension and stress.

I am also so filled with gratitude, because by watching your example you’ve provided me with hope for my future love story. When things get rough (because I’m not naive enough to think that they won’t), I’ll believe in holding on and striving even harder to love. I’ll know how to expect to be treated. I’ll know that if he doesn’t put up with my loud singing (props to you, mom!), or love me enough to provide for me and help me lead my family (go, Dad!), then he’s not the one. Y’all have set my standards sky high in every area that makes up a healthy, endearing, God-centered relationship: ranging from humor, to respect, to gratefulness, and to faith.

All of my dreams of what a man should be are based upon my father. How you gaze at my mother when she isn’t looking, make her laugh, build her up, surprise her and treat her like the queen that our whole family knows she is. Similarly, all of my aspirations of being the perfect wife and mother come from my Mama- the way you are patient and unconditionally love when we mess up, how you lead us in the right direction, but are never one to judge whatever decision we make- how you can make us laugh until we cry, but gain your composure and make us feel like we matter when the rest of the world tells us that we don’t.

I’m even thankful for the gross (as a kid, I’m required to say that) PDA sometimes. All your kisses, hugs and rough housing. I’m appreciative of that because it sets a tone for the loving and affectionate home that I’m blessed to be a part of. With every anniversary that passes (there have been 20), I feel even more proud and delighted to be your child.

I pray when I’m older and have children of my own, that they can look at their father and myself and feel the same feelings of love and security that I’ve felt my whole life- that they will understand that not everyone is as blessed to have parents who are together like they do. I hope to also instill in them to pray for the families who aren’t all together and for them to never look down on them because no family is perfect. I know ours won’t be, but I hope that one day, my kids can look back on their parents and feel the same compassion, love, and gratefulness that I feel when I look at mine. I’m endlessly captivated by you two, and hope to be half the parents you are one day. I love you more than words.

Love, Doodlebug