There are a few things you should know, a few things I would like to thank you for and infinite reasons that I love you enough to want to spend the rest of my life with you.

I have waited for you in a society where virginity is taken, not given. I made the unpopular decision to remain strong in my beliefs, in hopes that you have too — thus giving us a sturdy foundation based on faith, and true love alone.

My family means the world to me, which means they now mean the world to you as well. No matter the distance, relationships will not go astray and holidays will be planned for accordingly. With that being said, your family means the world to me as well. I will most likely talk to your mother, grandma or sister every day — even if you don’t.

Cooking is not my forte. Thankfully you are excellent at it. When you are not in the mood to cook, be expecting takeout to be eaten in bed, even though you hate when crumbs get everywhere.

Dogs are not optional. Neither are children. If we don’t have a dog by the time we are married, you can assume that we will be getting a Labrador shortly after. I will be in no hurry to have a child after marrying you; even writing it feels a little awkward. However, I know that when that day does come, there is no one else I will be prouder to call the father of my children, and I yearn for the days that I see our beautiful children looking up at the wonderful husband I am blessed to call mine.

I am not a quitter. I know you aren’t either or I wouldn’t have agreed to marry you. From what I understand about marriage, it isn’t always easy. I promise to never give up and to work through whatever struggles come our way. I refuse to go to bed upset with you and look forward to mornings waking up next to you.

Now onto the many things I would like to thank you for. Most importantly, thank you for loving me the way God created and designed me. I am not perfect, despite the countless times you try to convince me that I am; you love me and my imperfections, and I am forever grateful for that.

Thank you for pushing me, for making me stronger, and for believing in me. I say these together because you push me to make me stronger and hold me up when I am not able to on my own. You are my biggest and best supporter.

Thank you for always kissing me goodnight. It seems silly, but no matter how much we age, I know one thing is for certain: goodnight kisses will never get old.

Thank you for really being there. Too often we see couples eating out with their phones acting as barriers before each other, or couples walking with hands on devices instead of hand in hand with each other. I appreciate you putting down the phone and closing the computer screen to shut out the rest of the world and focus only on me (unless there’s a game on of course).

Thanks for being tall, handsome and having some incredible genetics. You rock.

Thank you for inspiring me. I have told you many times how wonderful you are — although sometimes I feel like that’s not enough. I wish you could see the way people look at you, respect you immediately, envy you and are inspired by you the same way that I am. You are everything I have always wanted and more.

Lastly, and I swear I’m almost done, the infinite reasons why I love you.

You tolerate and love me even when I am at my worst, and are patient with me when I make it extraordinarily hard to be.

I love you not because you spoil me in goods or expensive things (although you do that too, even when I tell you not to), but by your continuous thoughts and actions that remind me how much you care.

Simply put, I love you because you make me the happiest I have ever been and ever will be.

You are selfless, humble, courageous, strong both on the inside and out, your smile is infectious and still give me butterflies to this day.