"It's so rare to find men that support women so graciously."

I inadvertently began writing my wedding toast...

I have found The One. Mary, Herman, you have raised a son that so graciously supports me, whose presence at once tears my heart and mends it, and who loves me in the manner of which fairy tales were written. I have to laugh when I think about how our relationship started, and how many of the people who know ME best said, "you're doing it again!!" or gave me That Look after I told them Eric is in the military. But we One. On a summer day when I was a little girl, I came inside to see my dad, just in from mowinboth knew from the beginning that THIS... is different. After we jumped out of a plane on our first date, he stood in my doorway with this little grin and told me, "You're worth the wait." Later that week he told me, "I have finally found my equal." That's when I knew: I have found The g the lawn, staring out the window. He was looking at my mother laying outside in the sun, and he had such a look of awe and humility on his face that it was intensely private and passionate moment and I quickly left the room. I'm pretty sure he never knew I saw him. But he had such a look of amazement at knowing that he had somehow been lucky enough to get her, that from that moment forward, I KNEW, "I want a man that will love me like that. I want a man that will look at me like that after 25 years of marriage and 2 kids, I want a man knows I may not be perfect, but I'm perfect for him." I knew I could never settle for less. I've finally found him. Many years and many struggles later, this is a marriage of equals. Eric, we have endured through lonely and difficult times and regardless of what life throws at us, we're in it together. I must warn you, Eric, that I learned from my Mother what marriage and love truly mean, that I will NOT always be your favorite person. But I WILL always be the love of your life. I love you. Now, I struggled with how I'd honor my dad here, considering that our family has now expanded to include the brother and sister I never knew I was missing until I had them and the most giving and loving man I know for a stepfather, but I settled for this: I would like to make a toast. In honor of all those who could not be here tonight, those looking down, those lost before their time. A toast, to the people who taught us to love. A toast, most of all, to the first man I ever loved. Cheers.