Dear Sheri

I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while now, I figured Mother’s Day was good timing for a blog post mostly written to Molly. I could write an entire blog to you too, you know, but the reason behind this one is in case Molly never really gets to know me all the way. You’ve been stuck with me a long time now.

I still remember the first time we met. I walked into the TV room in our house at MSU, I think it might have been on Spartan Street, but that might be wrong. You were sitting on the couch talking to Kyle and what’s her name, smiling. I was nervous to talk to you. Your smile filled the room and you were so pretty. Still does, and you still are. I don’t know when it occurred to me, but I don’t remember the first time meeting any other person. Only you. I guess I knew you were special right away, so that moment always stuck with me.

I remember Kyle trying to set us up on a date before I met you and I threw the number away lol. I hadn’t met you yet, and the thought of a blind date seemed so awkward. Eventually we started hanging out as a group. At first you only talked about Australia, like we get it bro you did an internship. Then you cheated at Twister, don’t think I’ve forgotten about that. I had to ask you out like 7 times. We finally broke out the big bucks for our first date at Applebee’s where we sat at the corner of the bar and some random guy tried to hit on you. You got the chicken fingers and I made fun of you.

I remember when you came to visit me in Pittsburgh just a few months after we started dating. We went on one of those tourist trap cruises around the river and some guy who officiates weddings came across the top floor to tell us how much he enjoys seeing a couple in love. We hadn’t even said it yet, but maybe it was obvious. I still think about that cool little space we found ourselves in at the melting pot, and when we walked up to the top of the hill overlooking the city I thought that would be a great place to propose.

Of course, the way I actually proposed was with your name misspelled on a cheesecake. Thanks Matt. Our wedding was one of the happiest days of my life. From the motorcycle rally, to the little paper boats floating in the puddles, to our unofficial wedding song by Drowning Pool, it was all so fun and unexpected. We said before all that matters is we show up and leave married, so we were able to just enjoy the ride from there. I’m just glad you didn’t somehow slip on our dip kiss that you insisted on, that would have been awkward.

Back then it was just you, me, the Lue, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. DVDs on repeat because we couldn’t afford cable, and one pillow to share because we also couldn’t afford pillows I guess. I loved it. We’ve come a long way since then, I think we starting dating around 23 so that makes 17 years. Since then we’ve moved to Chicago, been to Ireland, Jamaica, the Bahamas, pet tigers, swam with dolphins, played with otters. We’ve had 5 amazing dog children and one baby girl so amazing that I can’t even put it into words. We’ve laughed together nearly every day since the day we met, and on occasion we’ve cried together, too. I couldn’t ask for a better companion along the way, I’m so lucky to know you and be with you.

You’re such an amazing mom. I watched Molly from about 6:30am to about 10:30am the last two mornings, and I literally broke a sweat each time. I’m so inspired by your energy and enthusiasm day in and day out, never with a day off, and never with a single complaint. Watching you gives me the energy to try my best to be a great dad. Molly is so fun, smart, alert, curious, outgoing, and entertaining, and this has all be cultivated in the countless hours she’s spent with you. Molly is very lucky to have you as her mom. I hope she’s as silly and sweet as you when she’s older. I do hope she says “underneath” though instead of “underneath of”.

These are just some of the memories I have of you. Like I said, I could write an entire blog. A lot of my favorite times are when we’re just sitting around, doing nothing. The real point of this post though is I just want to say I love you now, and forever. I don’t know what’s on the other side, and I don’t know when I’m going. I don’t really want to harp on that in this post other than to say I could never do this without you, and thank you for everything you’ve done to help me. Hopefully that day is a long way from now, but whenever it is and wherever I end up I’m going to keep on loving you every single day until the day we’re back together again.

I never know how to end these, so here’s a video of you and Molly that shows some of that energy and silliness I’ve been talking about.