Dear Erin: An Open Letter to My Wife

Dear Erin,

Since today is our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple, I thought I’d write and share with you forty things that I love about you. Why forty and not fourteen? Because fourteen is definitely not enough (neither is forty)! With that being said, here are forty things that I love about you in no particular order:

1. I love your cute little smile.
2. I love that you always place others first.
3. I love the way that you look at me.
4. I love that you love Jesus more than anyone…including me.
5. I love your humility.
6. I love that even if you are dead tired, you stay next to me on the sofa until I’m ready to go to bed because you enjoy sleeping next to me.
7. I love that you love people.
8. I love that you put up with my awkward and corky expressions and impressions.
9. I love that you love and are committed to God’s church.
10. I love to dance with you.
11. I love that you’re my best friend.
12. I love your willingness to grow and learn.
13. I love how you emphasize the word “beans” when you say, “green beans.” It makes me feel better about how I emphasize the word “browns” when I say, “hash browns.”
14. I love that you always strive to show me love.
15. I love to pray with you.
16. I love that you serve with me in ministry, both in vocation and in life.
17. I love that you’re a dog person.
18. I love the way your heart mourns and breaks for those who are hurting and broken.
19. I love how you can totally pull off red lipstick.
20. I love your willingness to submit to my leadership in love.
21. I love that when we walk side-by-side, you always link your arm in mine.
22. I love your boldness to tell me when you think I’m wrong or in sin.
23. I love how you talk, make funny noises, and slightly kick a little in your sleep; it makes me think that your dreams are exciting.
24. I love that you love to read your bible.
25. I love how you laugh at my jokes.
26. I love that you pursue holiness, not because you want to earn God’s love or be better than other people but simply because you love God.
27. I love that even if I have only one sip of alcohol, you still insist on driving “just in case.”
28. I love that you have a heart for those who don’t know Jesus.
29. I love that even though you overhear me singing “Ke$ha, T Swift, and others in the shower, you still love me.
30. I love how you know when I’m tired spiritually, emotionally, and mentally and allow me to seek rest on my own.
31. I love that you watched The O. C. with me.
32. I love that you don’t need me.
33. I love how excited you get to see me.
34. I love how you think that you look funny or weird or dorky in numerous outfits; you always look so beautiful.
35. I love that you help me grow in my gifting and ministry skills.
36. I love when you take a sip of my Coke.
37. I love that you chose to marry me despite knowing some of my deepest flaws.
38. I love that you choose to stay committed to me despite understanding and experiencing some of my deepest flaws.
39. I love that you walked with me into the unknown, leaving the only lives we knew behind us in SoCal and began writing our own love story in NorCal.
40. I love that no matter what, I know you will love and stay committed to our marriage and family, not because either of us are amazing or worth it but because God is beyond amazing and is beyond worth it.

Happy Valentines Day, my beautiful and sweet wife! May God bless us with many more together!

Love,

Tyler Saldaña