Dear Slick,

Who knew we would be here… 21 years of Aaron and I’m so glad I’ve been here for 7
of them. I have plenty to say but first, I want to say that I love you.

I love you.

It doesn’t really sound like enough when we say it everyday… “I love you” gets a
little repetitive… almost like it loses a little bit of meaning every time it’s
used…

Because, I don’t just love you. I adore you. I admire you. I’m proud of you. You
complete me. You’re the other half of my heart. Without you, I don’t feel whole.

I look at you in wonder like I stare at the stars, wondering about all the things I
still get to learn about you. I feel calm around you like when I listen to the
rain. You make me smile and laugh like no one else. You give me butterflies. When
you look me with those eyes of yours, my heart beats a little faster and I’d do
anything you asked me to.

The way you make me feel Aaron, I can’t even explain it. The way you touch me so
gently and intentionally and never pressure me to do anything I don’t want.
The way you apologise to me about the little things showing me you’ll never try to
hurt me.
How you never pressure me to do something I don’t want to, like other guys have…
The way you don’t force me to talk about things that have hurt me, even though I
wish I could tell you.
The way you grab my waist and hold me close to you when another guy looks at me,
just to make sure they know I’m yours.
The little things you do for me just make me love you a little more each time.

I dream of life with you. Yeah I know, the scary unknown future you don’t like
talking about, so instead just listen…
I can’t help dreaming about the it. Life with you… It’s all I’ve ever wanted and
all I ever think about. And I’m afraid. I’m afraid that after all this dreaming,
wondering and hoping, that I won’t ever get there. Maybe I won’t get the happy
ending of my dream.

I’m afraid I won’t ever get to be with you again, or maybe we will find other
people to love us like we couldn’t love each other. I’m afraid someone is gonna win
you over more than I ever could. I’m afraid I’m not gonna turn out to be the person
you wanted like I always wished I could be. I’m afraid something is gonna prevent
us from being together or it’s not gonna work out because of our lives.

And that’s okay.

Because I can still think about what it would be like if I did get the happy
ending…
I can still think about the day you ask me to be yours again. Or our first
official, not in high school anymore, told my parents about you, date.
Our first actual, not a 14 year old peck, kiss.
Our first time meeting each others family.
Our first time being invited to family events.
The day you ask me to marry you.
Maybe our first anniversary.
Our wedding day. Or wedding night…
Our first road trip.
Our first pet together.
Our first home.
Our first Christmas.
Our first pregnancy.
Our first child.
And our second.
And third.

And our life.

Your career in acting when I get to cheer you on from behind the camera or at your
premier.
When I can bring the kids to see your movies.

And my little pastry shop.

Where you can bring the kids after school to visit and have a snack before we go
home.

And school drop off.

And nights helping with homework and trying to get everyone showered before bed.
Letting the kids stay up binging Harry Potter and building forts in the living
room.
And bedtime stories and cuddles.

And finally getting them to bed so we can have “us” time and eat our secret stash
of snacks in bed.

And after all those things, finally being able to say “Hey Slick, we made it. We
actually did it.”

That’s what I dream about. Giving you everything you want and more. Being
everything you didn’t get growing up. Being the wife you deserve, who really loves
and appreciates you and the mumma to our kids you never got yourself.

And I dream about how you will be the greatest, most loving, caring, supportive,
strong, courageous, forgiving and proud husband and dad.

Teaching our sons chivalry and showing our daughter she should be treated like a
princess, like her mumma. Showing them what love looks like.

But. All those things will come if they may.

Nothing has to be certain or planned… nothing has to start right now.

However long it takes, even if never, I’ll still dream about a future with you.
Even if we end up being with someone else, I’ll always wonder, “what would’ve
happened if…”

Because you are my person.

My safe place.
The rain.
The stars.
My comfort.
My calm.
My home.

Everything stops when you look at me with those eyes. I can’t think about anything
else.

Everything about you is wonderful.

Your eyes.
Your hair.
Your shoulders.
Your back.
Your arms.
Your hands.
Your chest.
Your stomach.
Your legs.

Not flawless, but wonderful nonetheless.

And gosh I wonder what the hell you see in a girl like me.
I’m a wreck.
Hopeless romantic.
Cries constantly.
Never says the right thing.
Never feels whole.
I’m messy and disorganised.
I never know what I want or how I feel.
I get so protective over you after seeing you get hurt so many times.
I get a little obsessive sometimes, writing Alesha Renee Jackson on the steamy
shower door.
Figuring out how we’re ever gonna make this work if you finally decide you want to
do this.

And yet, you’re still sticking around with my craziness, I hope it’s for a while
longer.
7 years and counting…

There are so many little things to love about the way you are…

Like the way you laugh at silly jokes

Or the way you flick your hair back when it falls into your eye.
The way you adore Misha, I loved watching you cuddle her…
Or the way you walk around confidently, but a little unsure at the same time,
looking back at me to make sure you’re doing or saying something right.
The way you are so protective of me.
The way you’d do something that makes you uncomfortable just to make me happy.
The way you get turned on when I drive your car.
The way you can switch between innocent and dirty in a second, keeping things
interesting.
The way you get excited when you talk about something you love and are passionate
about.
The way you appreciate small gestures.
The way you read into everything.
The way you know something is wrong when I go quiet and you will not give up trying
to make me feel better.
The way you gently move me to the side to keep me away from strangers.
The way you look at me when I have anxiety with “it’s okay, I’m here” in your eyes.
The way you take so much pride in your home and keeping it clean.
The way you love your car and take care of it.
The way you light up like a little kid when talking about things you love like
Harry Potter or The Big Bang Theory.
The way you’re so sensitive yet so strong.
The way you wanna call me first to tell me good news.
The way you rely on me and trust me with your burdens, secrets and hardships.
The way you love people and have so much empathy towards strangers.
The way you love to be a leader and keep things in order.
The way you talk about having kids someday and becoming a dad.
The way you talk about getting married and having kids with me. (When you said
“when you’re pregnant, I’m gonna lay on your tummy like this” !!!!)
The way you look at me and I just know you really do love me like you say you do.

I could write a million things I love about you. I could also write a list of
things that bother me, but none of them waver how I feel about you.
Nothing can make me un-love you.
We’ve been through thick and thin together, fought with and for each other, loved
each other through our differences and after 7 years…

I just want you to know.

You are so worth waiting for.

Happy 21st Birthday Slick.

Love, Carrots