My Best Friend

It's hard to believe that it's been eight years. Eight years, four children, numerous moves (two of which were across country), and four amazing and beautiful children.

Eight years ago today Melinda and I were married in Minnesota, following a courtship that lasted about fifteen minutes. Over the course of a year, Melinda and I developed a friendship that I was positive that I could not live without in my life. We never dated, but she was in my life every day. We car pooled together, we ate dinner together every night, we spent every non-working hour shopping, going to movies and watching television at each others house. You know, things that people who date do.

When I had made the decision to move back to the Northwest from Minnesota to be closer to my family, I dawned on me that I didn't want to move back with out all of those things listed above. I could not imagine my life without her in it - so I sent what would become known in our family as "the email".

Most of the time, I would use this wonder of technology to ask Melinda to do things for me. When sending emails where I needed her to do something, the subject line would always read, "would you". I would follow with whatever it was I needed in the body of the email. That trend continues to this day, by the way.

This time, however, the body of the email said "Marry Me?". I think she thought I was kidding, as I didn't get a response. That night at dinner, I asked her again (you see, when you do it in person, there is more of a personal touch - who would have known that?). As we examined our relationship, it was clear that we were more than just friends. She agreed to marry me, and a few weeks later on June 27th, we were married by the Stake President in Melindas' Ward.

Why not the Bishop you ask? Well, you see, the Bishop was called the previous Friday and had not yet received permission from the state to marry people. It could not have gone better, as during the ceremony we were blessed with the "pitter patter of many little feet" from the Stake President. I thought he was crazy.

It was the perfect scenario. I had the chance to be with my best friend every day for the rest of my life, and then into eternity. To this day I marvel that it only feels like we have been married for a short period of time, and how blessed I am to have found her.

We have had only one argument in our marriage, and while my work schedule is not ideal, I could not ask for a more supportive companion. As her Father put it - we walk together, equally yoked through life.

I am blessed to have found you and to call you my wife. You are the most amazing wife and Mother. Watching you with our children humbles me. The next eight years will be amazing, the the 80 after that. I am pretty sure that I won't be blogging 88 years from now though, so enjoy this one.

I love you.