Dear Mother Laura,

Today I am beaming with joy as I celebrate my 10th anniversary to my hottie boyfriend of a husband. I worked hard to find the man of my dreams and I was smart enough to choose wisely. I had seen firsthand what a broken home can do to a child, and refused to build a family on a cracked foundation. When I got married, ten years seemed so far away. As a young bride I always imagined that by now we would be rich and we would celebrate with some romantic and extravagant vacation. We might be traveling the world to some exotic place or maybe we would go to a bed and breakfast retreat. Maybe I would upgrade my diamond ring to some something bigger and shinier. Yes, by ten years we would have it all and all my friends would be jealous.

In the brief quiet of the morning I sit here with a cup of tea and a smile on my face as I realize how very different things are than I had once imagined. The last ten years seem to have had a different idea for my youthful dreams. I find myself in a modest little house booming with the noise of four growing children. A freckle faced 9-year-old boy who can build just about anything out of Legos. A spirited 6-year-old daughter with her first "looth" tooth. And 2-year-old identical twin boys who keep me on my toes as their curious minds have them running in two different directions. They greet me each morning with an exhilarated "Hi Mamma!"

I celebrate ten years not with the sparkling of diamonds, but with the sparkling of four pairs of eyes looking up at me. I celebrate not at a bed and breakfast, but by bringing breakfast to my husband who is under wifely orders to stay in bed. I smile at this man whose eyes have softened and whose heart has grown. This man who works long and hard so I can be home to wiggle "looth" teeth, collect sticky kisses, build castles out of Legos, see first steps and hear first words. I also get to go on all sorts of adventures in my magical backyard. My kids are able to take me to any exotic place I want to go with their unending imaginations. I celebrate not in a fancy dress, but in yoga pants and gym shoes.

I smile because I realize things may not be so different than I had once dreamed they would be. What I have is better than diamonds, vacations, and pretty clothes. What I have is truly what I would consider rich. What I have is ten years of living among the finer things. I truly do have it all and I may even have a jealous friend or two.

Happy Anniversary to the man who I love like never before. Thank you for giving me this life full of beautiful things built upon an unshakable foundation.

And thank you, Dr. Laura, for teaching me to choose wisely and treat kindly. I am here as proof that those two ingredients can create the finest of things.


Much love,

Shannon