Dear K,

When we were little, I stood in front of you, looked you in the eye and made a promise. I promised that I would stand there in front of you, forever if I had to, to save you from yourself. I broke that promise almost immediately, but I'm not sorry. I was a kid and so were you. I didn't know enough about anything to be making such huge promises. And if I had kept that promise we would both still be standing there - not going anywhere. It wouldn't have done us any good.

But I'm older now, and I've learned enough about myself and you and truth and promises to make this one: as long as you are on my team, I will be on yours. I will help you take on anyone or anything that comes for you. I will stand next to you and hold your hand. I will cheer for you and I will hold you. And I will never let you keep me from protecting us. No matter how scared or how proud you are. That is my promise and I will keep it.

The two of us have changed in a million ways over the last two and a half years. We have made compromises we never thought we could and done things we never thought we would. Sometimes it seems too easy, and other times it is almost too difficult to bear. We have been more honest and more real than most people ever are. We have redefined our own ideas of what romance and love can and should be. We have been horrible and amazing. But the one thing that sustains: we are a team.

I stand with you today and look into our future together and know that it won't be perfect, but I believe it will be great. I love you and I love us, and this was worth the wait.