198

Happy monthly anniversary to you, my love. Thank you for being so supportive as my contract ends. The first week of being unemployed feeling like being adrift, so thank you for believing in me and telling me the hiring world is dormant for now, slumbering until the new year. I’m still going to draft up cover letters and polish some samples. It takes time to get momentum going on any hope of landing another job in the gaming industry. I won’t be slack. I owe you that much. I will never take your patience and love for granted.

197

To my love, happy monthly anniversary. I hope I make you happy. I know it's been hectic, especially with the news about me losing my contract early. I know it'll be okay, but I don't want to endanger us financially or have you worried. You have been kind and supportive so far, and for that, I love you.

196

Happy anniversary to my love. I have to admit this one snuck up on us. I love you, and it would kill me to forget this monthly celebration. I hope you always know I love you, and I hope I'm always good enough for you.

195

Happy monthly anniversary, my love. I hope I'm always a good man--and a good husband--for you.

194

Happy anniversary to my love. I'm sorry you are under the weather. Tonight, rest. I'll pick up dinner. Okay, nachos aren't the best medicine, but then I'm not a doctor. I am the man who gets delicious food on our monthly anniversary. I love you.

193

Happy monthly anniversary, my love, on this the young side of sixteen years. I’m back from seeing Rachel and you are relaxing after painting the master bathroom. It’s too hot to do anything, so we take it lazy today. Soon your anniversary present will be done and our master bathroom will be up and running. I hope you love it, my dear.

192

Happy anniversary, my love. Sixteen years. I said it out loud while waiting for a table with co-workers at lunch. It doesn't feel like sixteen years. I know time has passed, but it doesn't feel that gap the same way living sixteen years from birth to being a teenager. Our time just is, and this anniversary doesn't take into account the five years previous I came to know you. I have known you for 21 out of my 43 years. You are my life. 

And lately, I think about how I used to be. I'm not proud of how shaky I was. If there's a positive spin to my emotional growth, which is the only way I'm benchmarking our years at this point, is that I can see how far I've come. I wish I could go back and change how I was. I know I shouldn't be ashamed, but here it is. Making it better is only something I can do now. And that's my gift to you.

That, and a new master bathroom.

191

To my love. Today we're apart, but we are still in touch. I'll see you in a couple of nights. Sleeping without you is a strange, unbalanced ritual I remember the echoes of it whenever I'm out of town on business, but the sinister distance of you or I being out of town alone is so infrequent you can't help but forget. 

Happy Anniversary, my love. I miss you. I love you.

190

A happy monthly anniversary to my love. I hear you in the next room, the computer playing Les Miz. I'm on the couch with Liam in a sunspot. All is calm, and I hope it always will be. I want to be the best for you. I love you.

189

I'll only be kissing you goodbye this morning, and that will be the extent of our anniversary together. Work has other plans, but we will be together soon, and with a new cat in our family. I love you, and happy anniversary, my love.

188

Happy anniversary to you, my love. Between me starting my new job, the car accident, and coming down with a cold, it's been an eventful week. At least we're happy here at home, where it's peaceful and quiet. I love you, and I love how the moment I come home and hear you, everything is better.

187

Happy monthly anniversary, my love. I want to thank you for your love and support, especially last week as I prepared for and went to the Big Interview. We should know if they want me Tuesday or Wednesday.  Finding the card and the "good luck" lion as I dressed for the interview in the dark hours of Wednesday morning reassured me that, no matter what the outcome, I knew you would be proud of me. I love you.