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My dearest Brian,

How could I have known that my very own Robin Hood would have made the kindest spouse and father anyone could ever know?

My father gave me the greatest advice on choosing a husband. Dad and my best conversations usually happened while he was changing the oil in the driveway on my 1975 Granada. “Now Katie-girl, hand me the clamp and listen good. You need to find a man who is willing to work and work hard. If he loses his job for some reason, he has to be willing to go down and sack groceries to make those ends meet. And watch how he treats his mama. If he treats her well, he will treat you well. Now hand me two paper towels.”

Those words were seared into my memory. My father and mother have the most beautiful, strong marriage. I wanted that. I wanted to hear a man say my name with kindness and softness, but be able to fix any problem we came up against.

And here you are.

You are my strong shoulders to lean on.

You are my safe place, never making me wondering your fidelity for one instant.

You are my example of how to love Our Father in heaven.

You are a good father to our children, showing them love and kindness, strength and consequences, truth and beauty.

As we sit in the very unusual place of having one child that is graduating from high school and one child that just turned one, I can glance at you across the table and immediately feel at ease. There is absolutely no one in this world I would rather be with.

Thank you for your gentle help, your kind words, your silly jokes, your hard work, your unwavering faith, and your guidance as the head of this household. It is my honor to stand next to your side. I pray we have many more years to do this life together.

Always and forever,

Your Kate