20 Years

"525,600 minutes
525,000 moments so dear
525,600 minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?" - Seasons of Love

20 Years

20 years.
20 years = 2 decades = a considerable passage of time.
20 years of watching you from the corner of my eye so I don't miss anything you do.
20 years means our relationship can almost legally drink.
20 years of standing side by side but really being almost a single entity.
20 years with 3 hockey lockouts.
20 years of growing, maturing, changing, adapting, but never falling out of love.
20 years with everyone we know still trying to figure out why you're with me.
20 years and still undertaking new and different adventures (hello house).
20 years of waiting on the world to change and realizing a) that's a crappy song and b) we don't need anything to change as long as we're together.
20 years of not being able to smile without you.
20 years of dancing closely, singing softly, and having the tunnel vision of love.
20 years of ever changing communication methods (letters, land line phone calls, cell phones, skype, email, texting, IM) all of which just make it easier to say, I love you!
20 years of partaking of a love written just for us.
20 years with 3 ever growing children creating more of a bond between us.
20 years and you still amaze me.
20 years and we still mark each month's anniversary (That's 240 for anyone keeping track. I know we are.)
20 years of Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you. (Yes, you have just been rickrolled)
20 years and it doesn't even compare to our parents and grandparents who set the original template of how to love.
20 years - not even remotely enough time.

At this point, it should go without saying that I love you, but I say it because you should hear it and know how true it is. We couldn't possibly have looked forward 20 years ago and seen where everything was going and where we'd be in the future, but even at that point, we pretty much knew whatever or wherever it was, we'd be together. So, once again, I loved you then, I love you now and I'm always going to love you.

Between now and then til I see you again I'll be loving you, Love me.

18 Years

18 years

18 years of shared moments
18 years with everyone saying, "Are you freakin' kidding me? You've been together for 18 years?"
18 years with 3 gorgeous children
18 years defying expectations in our relationship
18 years watching the craziness of the world passing by while holding on to one another
18 years picking up bad habits from one another
18 years = almost 9 1/2 million minutes and each one feels both new and yet comfortable
18 years with 16 anniversary dinners at the same place (and almost the same dinner)
18 years of arguments, agreements, allusions and all our love
18 years with countless automobiles, apartments, collections, but our love staying strong and steady
18 years of watching everyone trying to fathom what we already know, love is all powerful
18 years having so many things become obsolete, but realizing that no matter what may come and go, our love is here to stay (and hopefully that cliche will go at some point)
18 years with my friend, my wife, my love
18 years with your heart next to mine
18 years with my temper and you're snoring (maybe it is a wonder why we're still together)
18 years of laughter far outweighing the tears
18 years never wondering, "what if"
18 years with one steady consistent presence, our love

I love you! We've seen a lot go by in our 18 years and I'm glad I get to experience it all with you. Just think, in another 18 years, we'll have seen all 3 of our children graduate from high school. At least, I hope so. Who knows what the future will bring, but whatever may come, I'll have you by my side to face it all with me.

Between now and then til I see you again I'll be loving you Love, me