Love and Marriage

Dear little Karter,

You don't care about this now, and you probably won't care about it when you can read this, but tomorrow, your dad and I have been married for 3 years (which is like an eternity as far as J.Lo anniversaries go.)  I really kind of like your dad.  A lot.  He's kind of cute, usually funny and always there for us.  He puts up with my 'suggestions' (mostly while driving) and gave me the greatest gift of all: a subscription to All You magazine.  Kidding.  It's you. 

I don't want to put the Titanic curse on our marriage, but you can rest assured that we're in this forever.  You will always have mom and dad in the same house (that is, if I'm not at our beach lake house.)  We have made a commitment to each other, to God, and now you, that we will stick it out through thick and thin (and your dad has already showed me he loves me when I'm thick, so we're good.)

It's hard to believe that there was life before you (seriously, don't even remember what 8 consecutive hours of sleep is anymore) but there was, and I'm going to tell you about it.  So get your barf bag ready, I'm telling you your parents love story.

Your dad and I met 4 years and one week ago.  We were headed on a mission trip to New Orleans to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina (which is why your dog's name is Katrina.)  I had been forewarned that your dad was kind of an engineer nerd, so needless to say I didn't show up looking my best, believing I had no one to impress.  It was probably for the best, as your father thought I was pretty annoying to begin with (I can't really blame him.)  I soon learned that his last name was Gariety, only 3 letters different than my maiden name, Garison.  It was then I decided that we should marry, and I announced this to your dad on day 3 of meeting/being annoyed by me.  I think he was skeptical at first, but he came around.  By the end of the mission trip, I had convinced him he should call me.

We went on our first date June 20, 2008.  I fretted over what to wear (and still don't know why I chose what I did) and met your dad at his house.  I decided I was going to win him over by suggesting we order pizza and watch the Reds (it was the last Reds game we watched together;) Kidding, I promise (because your dad has probably brainwashed you into becoming a hardcore Reds fan.)  By the end of the week, I think it was decided that we loved each other and this was a forever thing.  I was looking for rings in September and your dad popped the question in December of 2008 on a mission trip back to New Orleans (via a golden ticket in a Willy Wonka bar-clever, that father of yours.)

We married a year later on June 20, 2009 (though if you are looking at the photo book I made of our wedding it says we married June 20, 2011-just ignore that.  I'll show you the marriage certificate to prove it.)  It was a fantastic time.  I wish you could have been there...well, not really.  I could go on and on, but you're probably tired of this by now.

My hope is that one day, you find someone to make you as happy as your dad makes me.  He is the kind to my mean, the logical to my emotional, and the strength to my weak.  He was worth the wait...and so were you.

I hope you haven't thrown up a little in your mouth by now.

Love,
Your-still-in-love Momma