Dear Joe,

Once in awhile, I feel as if I should address the fact that you are the main reason for this blog, and since it's our anniversary, seems like a good day to write you this note.

You are a good sport, Farmer Joe.

You are the butt of a lot of jokes. You are the source of some of my pent up frustration, which then is aired out here, in cyberspace for all to see. This life we have created on the farm is full of unknowns, second guesses, and times when we just want answers.

But we're here. Right now, in a place where our kids can learn lessons that make up the very fabric of who you are as a person. We chose this life together, and even though we started our married life off in a very different place with very different occupations (and note the plural form of occupation....), we're here now surrounded by blessing upon blessing that started with our day, nine years ago. Our choice to get married and to include agriculture and kids and moving and job changes and job quitting in our life plan has allowed us to do so much more than what we see from day to day.

Just like a wedding, the details seem to bog us down. We (well...I, mostly) worried about place cards, table settings, flower colors and eyeliner application on that day. Today, we worry about rain (and lack thereof), markets, and feed rations. But the big picture is clear, and something we hardly seem to discuss, because we know we're okay. We're focused on the right things, the same things, and once in awhile, I need to thank you for allowing me to not worry about big things like the fact that you'll always be here, helping me, understanding my hysteria now and again, and raising our kids in a manner that works best for us. Your occupation is the reason we are able to be here, raise our kids the way we want to, and have you pursue something that is in you, something that has always been important to you.

Because that's the big picture, right Farmer Joe? Regardless of how many times I gripe about country living and farming and all the things that go with it, our big picture has always remained the same. We're in this together, and have been even though our path sometimes seems unclear.

I love you, Joe, and have since we started this journey together, even before the big day August 2, 2003.

The day it rained, and I was told to not complain about an August rain...

That's ironic, isn't it? I should have known rain would punctuate most of my life based on that day.

Happy anniversary, Farmer Joe. Here's to many, many more.

Love,
Em

Check out this happy couple! Joe missed the ginormous shrimp at our cocktail hour because of pictures like this. Sorry, again, my love!!