I wrote this before Josiah died and I never had a chance to finish it….but I’m publishing it anyway.  I thought it would be appropriate to publish it today because today was a very special day for us.  Six years ago today Josiah got on one knee and asked me to marry him.  I would say yes again in a heart-beat.

When I was young (and I know what some of you are thinking “she’s only 25”, but hear me out), my idea of love was that it was about getting flowers and going on picnics and planning special dates.  And don’t get me wrong, I still think that those are special ways to show love.  But, my idea of love has grown and changed over the past 5 years.  Now, love to me is when my husband tells me I’m beautiful after I’ve been up with the baby all night and haven’t showered in days-that’s love.  Or when my husband tenderly lifts his daughter out of bed in the middle of the night and gently washes the puke out of her hair-that’s love.  Or the way my husband seeks to provide for his family-that’s love.  Or when my husband makes the bed even though he can barely walk-that’s love.  Or when my husband, with his only small burst of energy of the day takes my hand and we dance in our living room, cane and all, while he sings his version of  “You’re still the one that I love, the only one I dream of, you’re still the one I kiss good-night” (I love his random song choices)-that’s love.

Even though Josiah never got to read that…he already knew that was how I felt.  Josiah showed his love to me in countless little ways every day.  And because of all the things that he planned ahead, in a lot of ways, he still is.  He cherished me, he challenged me, he took care of me.  I will forever love him for that.

“[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.”  1 Corinthians 13:7-8