This single mom of over 11 years decided to jot down a few words about the man who showed up seemingly out of nowhere and changed her life.

He makes me laugh. He sings to me whenever I ask him to (often times before I go to sleep). He misses my daughter when she’s not with us. He hugs everyone he meets. He talks to my animals. He cries when he thinks about how much he loves my daughter and me. He visits the old man who works at Walgreens just to see how he is doing.

He is kind. A kind, kind, gentle man.

I was cursed at a very young age of seeing the movie Gone With The Wind over 100 times (literally, I know every single line of dialogue).  I remember being curled up on the couch in our home with my cats and stuffed animals being mesmerized by Scarlett O’Hara and her obsession with Ashley when it was Rhett all along.

I remember feeling like my love story would be a movie as well. A sweeping, epic story of passion and romance, pain and ignorance, struggle and, ultimately, wisdom.

And indeed it has been. I have walked through a few bumps on my road of romance. Okay, a lot of bumps. Some small, some terrifyingly enormous. I’ve made choices based on youth and ignorance, choices based on addiction and obsession, choices based on fear and self hatred, choices made.

Choices. All my doing. All my responsibility. All necessary to get me to the place I am today.

And today is beautiful. Today is sober. Today is loving, kind, patient, accepting, joyful, honest, free. There is no drama in this love. No pain or chase, no obsession or insecurity. No self hatred or doubt.

No doubt.

My daughter. My incredible daughter at the perfectly messy age of 13 gets to see a home with two adults who are in love. Who laugh and dance and play music and grab her hand and pull her in.

He’s marrying both of us. He knew that when he asked. And we both said a resounding, YES.

I was putting my girl to bed on New Years Eve and before I shut off the light she placed my face between her hands and kissed me,

Mama, I’m so happy. I love our life. You’ve worked so hard and look… all your dreams are coming true. I’m proud of you. Happy New Year.

I tell my daughter all the time how proud I am of her. How hard she works. How happy she makes me. But when your child says it to you…

All along it’s been just the two of us. My baby and me on this road. Doing the mommy daughter thing.  A family of 2.

And now… there are 3.

For the man I’m going to marry… your girls love you, very, very much.

xo