Letters to a Loved One: 'Til Death Do Us Part

Anna,

Thank you for coming to my birthday party. I really like the ninja turtles you got me. The red one is my favorite. My mom said you could come to the fair with us next week! She said you have to ask your mom though, so you should do that.

I’m so happy were in Ms. Gardner’s class together. Are you nervous? You shouldn’t be. My brother said second grade isn’t that hard. Don’t forget to ask your mom about the fair.

Theo

Anna,

I had a really great time going to prom with you. You looked amazing. I hope you had fun, even if I really am the clumsiest dancer you’ve ever seen lol. Once I took your advice to just go with the beat, I thought I ended up doing alright, don’t you? Oh, and remember, you can’t tell anyone that Principal Phillips almost caught us in the parking lot with the booze we snuck in. My parents would kill me. I wish they were more like your parents. They’re so cool about those types of things. I guess I know where you get it from. And one more thing – I know we just went as friends and everything, but I really like you Anna and I was wondering if you would maybe want to go see a movie sometime. You know, as a date. If not that’s okay, I get it. Just let me know, okay?

Theo

Anna,

I wanted you to know just how much I appreciate you being my girlfriend. I know the last couple of years have been hard, being at different schools and all. I miss you so bad all the time. I can’t even study for finals right now because all I can think about is how much I miss you. I guess that’s what I get for dating the most perfect girl ever. Poor, poor me.

Oh, and I hope you got the flowers I sent you for our anniversary, it’s hard to believe it’s already been three years. I’m sure someday we’ll celebrate fifty, and it will feel just as short. I don’t even notice the years because it just feels like we’ve been together forever; like we were always one person who just got separated for a while.

I want to make sure you know that even when we are apart, I will be here for you always. That’s a promise. Speaking of being apart, only one more week until my finals are over, and I get to come home! I can’t wait to see you. I’ll be over at your place the second I get back.

Love you, Anna.

Theo

Anna,

Can you believe it, were engaged! I was so nervous before asking you. I don’t know why, all we ever talk about is getting married, but actually saying the words it made it so real. Thank you so much for saying yes, you literally make me the happiest man in the world. I can’t even think about the wedding right now, I’m still so excited. Maybe we shouldn’t even have a wedding, I just want you to be my wife right now.

Don’t worry, I’m just kidding about not having a wedding. I know you’ve dreamed about your wedding day since we were little kids. I want it to be perfect for you.

I can’t wait to see you walking down the aisle. You are going to be the most beautiful bride ever. Okay, I got to go now, I will see you after work. Let’s go get dinner at that Italian place you like downtown.

Love you, Anna.

Theo

Anna,

Thank you for making lunch for me today. You don’t have to; you can just worry about getting to work in the mornings. But I do appreciate it a lot. All the people at work keep reminding me how lucky I am to have a wife that makes me lunch every day even though she has her own work to worry about. There not wrong, so I just wanted to make sure you knew that it didn’t go unnoticed. I know how lucky I am. Anyways, I just wanted to wish you a good day at work. I miss you already.

Love you, Anna.

Theo

Anna,

Can you believe that we are parents? Twins too!? I know you’ve been nervous about becoming a mother, but you are going to be the best mom our kids could ever ask for. All somebody has to do is take one look at how you held them right after they were born, and they would know.

And please, please rest up Anna. I know you want to make sure the boys are getting taken care of, but I will make sure everything is okay. It’s not an easy thing giving birth to twins, so you need to just rest. Whatever you need, let me help. I just want to make sure you are taken care of. That’s what we do, we take care of each other. Oh my God, I still can’t believe we’re parents. Isn’t that crazy! Thank you so much for making me a father.

Love you, Anna.

Theo

Anna

Thank you for getting the boys from preschool today. I am really sorry I couldn’t make it, there was an emergency at the office today and I couldn’t get away. I know you haven’t been feeling well recently, so I am very grateful you were still able to pick the boys up. I am pretty sure you have ‘Mom of the Year’ locked down after today.

I promise I will make it up to you. Maybe we can get a babysitter for this weekend? Go to that Italian place downtown we used to go to when we were younger? Whatever you would like to do, we’ll do it.

I will try to be home for dinner tonight. See you then.

Love you, Anna.

Theo

Anna

We are going to get through this. I know this is tough and I can’t even begin to imagine what you are going through right now. You have been so brave for the boys, and I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am for that. But don’t feel like you always have to keep a smile on. I promised you, ‘in sickness or in health’, remember? All I want to do is take care of you, Anna. I don’t know if I can live without you. I will do whatever it takes to make sure you get better.

The only thing I ask is that you stop feeling bad about your hair being gone. In my eyes, you still grow more beautiful every day.

Just remember that promise I made you. I will be here for you always.

Love you, Anna.

Theo

Anna

Thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for being there on my worst days and my best. Thank you for never making me feel small or insignificant, for always making me feel like I was enough. Thank you for the long nighttime talks and the times we just held each other in silence. Thank you for your strength when I had none and your forgiveness when I messed up. Thank you for the beauty you brought into my world and the love you gave me. I did not deserve it, but still you loved me through everything. Thank you for being my best friend, forever and always. And thank you for being the mother to my children.

I am scared, Anna. I don’t know if I can do this by myself. I brought the boys to the cemetery today to visit mommy. They still don’t fully understand why you’re gone. I’m worried that I won’t have the strength to tell them when they are old enough to understand. You were always the stronger one. All I want to do right now is to go be with you; leave this world behind and just hold you in my arms again. But as I watch our two boys playing in the grass by your headstone, I know I have a reason to go on. Thank you for giving me that reason.

Someday we will be together again, I promise. Someday we won’t have to worry about anything keeping us apart. Someday the sun will rise and never set. Until that time comes, I will try every day to show the world the kindness you showed it, to live with the joy that you lived with, and to love our boys as you loved them. And then eventually, when my time comes, I will see you again. I will live for that day. I will live for you.

As always, I love you, Anna.

Theo