To my husband: Why I Love You More 15 years Later

Lance and I have been married for 15 years now. It amazes me that as time goes by I don't feel older. I love Lance and like him even more than when we got married 15 years ago. On June 17th, 1994 we had so many adventures to look forward to together: finishing at USU, a real job, children, buying a house, church callings. We were ready to move on in life and do everything together. Our plans for the future were well grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ and our hopes were realistic; so, our 15 years together has looked a lot like our original hopes. Our hopes and dreams didn't have places or names assigned to them in 1994. Over the 15 years we added names to our hopes and plans. Lance got more schooling than we had hoped for, we saw more of the the great USA too. Happily we have ended up in a community our family can call home. Our boys fill our house with love and they help make it a home.

Fifteen years ago I loved Lance for lots of different reasons and why I love him more now:

To my husband and love, Lance,

• You were so cute!
• You still are--I love your blue eyes, profile, and how your hair has a smattering of gray in the temples--mmmm, very sexy.

• You had a plan for your professional life and you were working hard to reach your goals.
• I love that you think ahead, plan, study, and worse case scenario with your career--and then work like crazy. You are very good at your work. I think you are a favorite engineer for many the cities in the valley because you are honest and very thorough in your work.

• You had a job and you were working while in school. You grew up working and farming. I love that you already knew how to work and that you liked to work. I know you didn't necessarily like THE work, but you liked to work.
• I love that as my husband will do whatever you can to provide for our family. Thankfully, right now it is still work you love to do. And you are seeing success with your own company.
  
• I've love that you are extremely self-motivated. I don't worry that you are working from home. You stick to your work schedule and can rarely be tempted away (but it is worth it when we do tempt you away, huh?)
  
• I LOVE that you are a nerd--the best person in our marriage to take care of our money! Life has been so much more peaceful since you got us on the "Dave Ramsey Plan" and we got out of debt.
  
• I love working on goals with you. We make a good team. You keep me on track and realistic.
  

• When we were dating, I was always impressed that you were so kind to other people. You were always first to help shovel a sidewalk or offer your seat to a woman on the bus.
• You still do that stuff, even for me. I can always have the last of the ice cream or even the last potato chips--if I wanted them, but I usually let you have the potato chips because I know you love them.
  

• You're just smart--book smart, gospel smart, common sense smart
• You're even smarter now--and more experienced in life!
  

• Having a family was important to you. You came from a great family too. I just loved them then.
• I love your family even more.
  
• You're a really good dad. I don't even know how to quickly write about this--you just are
• You placed the Lord first in your life and you knew the gospel well.
• You still strive to do all that you are asked to do and we work as parents to teach our children the gospel. You teach by example.
• You attended the temple and could take me there
• We still go to the temple together and you've always remained worthy of that privilege
  

I am sure I can go on and on. But time is a factor now, and I have eternity to tell you these things. I know I need to be better at telling you. I hope you don't mind if I write it--that is so much easier for me. I love you.
Melissa