I have been hurt in the past. I have been taken for granted. I have been discarded to make room for another. I have given my all and have received nothing in return. You must understand why I have walls built up, why I make it hard for you to peel those layers back: I am protecting what love I do have left to make sure the wrong boy doesn't take it and run.

I want to thank you for taking the time to chip away at that wall. I know that wall is very, very thick, but I thank you for not giving up, even when it seems like the the layers are infinite. You know in your heart that there is more that meets the eye. You are willing to convince me to work in tandem with you to break down those walls so that you are able to see everything that I have to offer and experience it in its fullest. But, you also know that breaking down those walls will take time. You know not to push me. You know that things will happen when I'm ready, when I am ready to take those step with you and for you. You a patient, you are gentle, yet you spur me on.

You are aware that others have used my heart in selfish and harmful ways. Have taken advantage of my naive manner. I have poured out my heart to them and received the hurt and heartache as "love." I didn't know any better than. I was told and convinced myself that what I did receive was love and it was all I deserved. You have told me time and time again that that wasn't love and that it never was what I deserved. I am thankful that you will have the patient to remind me of that and that you will show me countless amounts of real and genuine love. You have showed me that love is sacrificial, it is beyond oneself. Heck, it even excludes oneself.

I also want to thank you for making me genuinely happy. I know that someone or something shouldn't be what your happiness is dependent on, but you have caused me to gain a whole new perspective on life. Your jovial view on life has become contagious. I am more thankful, more joyful. I focus less on the brokenness of my life and more on the blessings that the Lord has given me. He has definitely blessed me with you. With you, I see life in a whole new lens, a lens I have never experienced before and for that I can't thank you enough.

Our relationship may seem like putting together a puzzle, a frustrating and complicated puzzle, but I am glad that you see the end product and you are willing to put in the work to see that complete picture, the complete me. I am thankful that you saw the complete picture that no one was willing to see or able to. You saw something in me that no one else could. You saw the love, the happiness, the laughs, the loyalty I was able to offer. You saw the beauty of my heart, even in its brokenness.

I want you to know that your effort does not go unnoticed. I know that I may not show my appreciation all the time and I may seem distant, but know that you have won my heart and I can't wait to see how we can repair it together. What a beautiful, crazy journey it will be!