After 19 years of marriage and having been best friends for 23 years we have been through so much together. Jess has fought cancer 5 times and beat it. Almost withered away from an unknown sickness progressively worse each of the three pregnancies, almost died during child birth. Then discovering a genetic mutation and then that each of our children also have it. Health with all three of their surgeries, lost my brother in a storm accident. (He was our roommate for a long time) We haver had to deal with some very hard things, but through each and everyone of them she has been my rock. She was the one going through it all and yet she was the strength in our family. She may have assumed I was but I was faking it every step of the way. I was full of fear and doubt and cried more than I could ever remember when no one was around. But her amazingly positive outlook, and confidence was everything my family needed to make it through.

I get so sad when I hear about the amount of men who leave their wife during a cancer battle. It disgusts me honestly. I can never imagine doing that to this woman. I was so glad to be there by her side and support her in any way she needed, from random food needs (she couldn’t hold most things down) to late night runs to get simply lemonade (because it didn’t taste as bad to throw up) Through all of it she kept the most amazing sense of humor. One time before her second throat surgery we were told that hit had a high chance of ruining her voice box and I couldn’t imagine never hearing her sweet voice again. And as they wheeled her through the last set of doors where I couldn’t go I said “I love you!” And she looks at me and just drags her finger crossed her throat like drax in guardians and then smiled at me, It immediately took me from near tears to laughing not jut right then in shock, but every time I started to get worried or upset Id just start laughing at the last thing I saw her do before entering into what im sure was a scary situation for her.

But, what we have been through has made us who we are and even the bad things we can look at. As stepping stones and learning opportunities. I cherish her every day because I know what we had to go through to get here. And the best way to know a persons character is to go to the end of the world with them. She knows my devotion to her is endless, and I know she’s all in for me. People say there is a phase called the honeymoon phase, but I think it’s a choice. Sure when the kids were ruling our lives and super little we may have put them first and been distracted, but ask anyone who sees us and they will vouch we are still in the honeymoon phase and I truly think its a mentality everyone can choose. Choose to see the good things for exactly that, but also choose to see the good in the bad and what it taught you. But no matter what, choose to let yourself get excited when you see your wife or husband. Make sure they know everyday what they mean to you, because you never know if you will get the chan e later.