Love.

I have never told anyone this, but there was a moment on the day we married when I stole away to a quiet place in the church. I closed my eyes and I prayed, I mean really prayed, that what was about to happen would be a good thing, a Godly thing, a joyful thing, a forever thing, a holy thing. I knew I loved Clay. But I was also so very aware that our love was constantly evolving and growing and taking on new meanings, and I prayed that I would continue to understand what love really encompasses through the experience of being married to this great, great man.

Here's some of what I have learned thus far.

Love is the instinct of reaching for each other upon the moment of your first child's birth when suddenly all of your hopes and dreams freeze and you feel completely helpless and all you want is for your son to cry out and be placed in your arms.

Love is seeing that son finally join you in your hospital room only to fall asleep next to your tireless, encouraging partner.

Love is seeing your dog wanting to be around your husband all the time.

Love is your husband letting him be his shadow.

Love is looking at your son and feeling so proud that he looks like a mini-version of your husband :-)

Love is laughter.

Love is thinking about the other person more than you think about yourself.

Love is sitting together in Church and watching your son fall asleep in your husband's arms.

Love is being really, really, really tired...and realizing that someone else is just as tired...and then smiling at each other.

Love is all the little moments. It's taking your son to see Santa and then deciding not to wait in the long line and pay the ridiculous fee so instead you go outside and find a small rose garden with really poor lighting and then you look over and your baby is smiling and everything else suddenly doesn't matter. Love is not caring where you are as long as you are with each other.

Love is taking care of Will in the mornings so your partner can go workout.

Love is moving into a new house together with a 2 week-old and not being able to find anything for days.

Love can be instant.

Love is being a team in everything.

Love is coming home on Valentine's Day and seeing your husband, son, and dog playing together and laughing--and then handing you a present even though you agreed there wouldn't be presents. Love is the eloquent card attached. Love is poetry.

Love is the gift that Clay gives me every single day.

I prayed on our wedding day that marrying Clay was the right decision.

Little did I know that it would be the best decision I ever made.

I love you, babe.