Ode to Our Tenth Anniversary by Colin Battersby

On March 8, 2003 my life changed forever.  I married my true love, Heidi Marie Seipert.  As her previous post suggests, we have been through alot over the last ten years.  She has been by my side through everything.  There is a song by Thompson Square titled "If I didn't have you" (http://www.cmt.com/videos/thompson-square/879587/if-i-didnt-have-you.jhtml).  When I first heard the song, I instantly thought of Heidi and how well it applied to us.  

We have been married ten years, and it has been an amazing ride.  I couldn't think of a great gift for Heidi.  Even though she kept saying "I don't want or need anything", us guys know that isn't gonna fly.  So I thought about it for awhile and remembered how she cherished the poem's her Dad had written for her and Jeff.  So I thought I'd try my hand at it.  I wrote the poem below, I think I had some help from my father-in-law while I was doing it.  

Happy Anniversary Sweetheart.  I love you the absolute infinite mostest!

Ode to Our Tenth Anniversary

To My Dear Heidi:

Has it been ten years?

What an amazing time of laughs and tears.

It has gone by in a flash.

Some may say it was a dash.

I saw your profile on Yahoo online.

I sent you a request because you’re so fine.

To my surprise you responded.

From there we chatted and we bonded.

So we went on our first date,

I think we’ll agree it was fate.

We went to see Beauty and the Beast.

And you were a bit of a flirt and a tease.

From there we saw our relationship grow up and blossom.

In December I proposed marriage and the ‘yes’ was awesome.

We were married on the 8^th of March two thousand and three.

We moved to Florida the land of Disney and palm trees.

We experienced the death of your dear Dad.

He will never be forgotten it was terribly sad.

We liked our jobs but hated the weather.

So we moved to New Hampshire after two years together.

3 London Road is where we finally settled down.

I now sit in my chair like it’s a thrown and I wear a crown.

We’ve experienced more losses in New Hampshire.

Jeff and Paul have passed on, and they are people we admire.

We’ve been slammed by ice storms and Nor’Easters.

After each issue our love for each other never falters.

In New England, we’ve discovered a new passion.

Hockey fans we’ve become, and the Monarchs are our fashion.

Having you in my life is a blessing I can’t ignore.

Thank you for not kicking me out the door.

You are my true love, my better half,

You make me whole, and make me laugh.

You are beautiful, strong, and caring.

Sometimes I can’t keep from staring.

Thank you for 10 unbelievable years.

You are so special; losing you would bring me to tears.

Let’s toast to us and the past.

And say bring on the future for we shall ever last.

Happy 10^th Anniversary Sweetheart!

I Love you the absolute infinite mostest.

Colin

I Couldn't Have Known

10 years ago today, I stood beside this man and promised to love and cherish him and spend the rest of my life with him.  I knew that I loved him, and he loved me, and I looked forward to our future together.  I couldn't have known what the next 10 years would bring.

I couldn't have known that 10 years later, three of the people that we loved most who were there celebrating our wedding day with us, wouldn't be here now.  I couldn't have known that my dad would die just 6 months after we were married, or that Colin's brother Paul would die in 2006, or my brother Jeff in January of this year.  I couldn't have known that we would both be only children now.  I couldn't have known that we would be directly hit with 4 hurricanes in 3 months time while we were living in Florida, and that we would be without power for a week at a time with each one.  I couldn't have known that we would end up living in New Hampshire for the past 8 years where bad weather followed us in the form of historic ice storms and blizzards and more power outages.  I couldn't have known that 10 years later there would be no children.  That instead, there would be years of infertility and 3 heartbreaking miscarriages in a 14 month period of time.  I couldn't have known that my faith would be tested in every single way possible.  I couldn't have known any of that. But, I came to know THIS-

I came to know that he would be by my side through it all.  I came to know that he loved me more every day.  I came to know that he would do anything to make me happy.  I came to know that he would always put my needs before his own.  I came to know that he would support me in all my hopes and dreams.  I came to know that he loved to make me laugh.  I came to know happiness like I had never known before.  I came to know that he loved to cook (bonus), and that he loved to cook for ME! (double bonus!!)  I came to know that we are a good team and he would help with laundry and housework.  I came to know that I love him more than I ever thought possible.  I came to know that his happiness means more to me than my own.  I came to know that together we can make it through anything.  I came to know that if I would have known 10 years ago what the next 10 years would bring, I would absolutely marry him all over again.

I can't possibly know what the next 10 years will bring, but I know that we will face life's adventures and challenges together.  There is no one I would rather walk through this life with.  Happy 10th anniversary sweetheart!  I love you the absolute infinite mostest!!