The Softness of Being Loved Well

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how love shows up—not in dramatic moments, but in small, thoughtful gestures that make everyday life feel a little softer. And recently, my husband has reminded me just how comforting those quiet acts of care can be.

For years—truly a decade—I’ve wanted a Nespresso machine. Not because it’s fancy, but because I’ve always imagined how grounding it would feel to start my mornings with a cup of coffee that tastes calm, steady, and warm. Yet each time I thought of buying one, I’d talk myself out of it. There was always something more practical, always a reason to push my own wants aside.

But through all the years we’ve been together, my husband never forgot. He always encouraged me to finally get one because he knew how much I wanted it. This year, he surprised me with it as an advanced Christmas gift—so I could enjoy my mornings right away. And honestly, it really does change the tone of the day when your coffee tastes a little better. It feels like being cared for before the world starts demanding things from you. Continue reading

Her Vows

Let me start with a quote that sums up what I’ve been feeling for the past few years that we’ve been together: “Because of you, I can feel myself slowly but surely becoming the me I have always dreamt of being.” — Tyler Knott Gregson

I have been telling you this almost every year since we started dating, and for this year, everyone is going to hear me say it: In my 27 years of existence, the past four years have been the most alive that I’ve felt. You have shown me that there are far better things that I have yet to see, experience, and explore. You made me feel all sorts of emotions, but most of all, you made me believe in the power of taking risks and I’m glad I took that leap of faith with you.

Loving you has always felt like walking into a house that I’ve never been in, but feeling like I am home. You are the home that I deserve, you are the peace that all of my past selves have been longing for for 27 years. With you, I finally felt what it means to be loved and to be someone’s favorite.

Thank you for tolerating the nerd in me the way that I tolerate the nerd in you. You are a walking encyclopedia and I can’t wait to learn more from you — I can’t wait for a lifetime of conversations about black holes, galaxies, the universe, and the stars. But beyond all of that, thank you for loving me the way that no one else ever did. You are the greatest decision I have ever made and whatever it is that we went through, I would go through all over again with no regrets and in a heartbeat. Truly, you are the biggest and only star that lit up my life and I promise to love you, cherish you, and take care of you from this day on.

And just like my favorite quote from one of my favorite books, I want you to know that: “I want everything with you. I want the holidays and the birthdays, the busy seasons and lazy weekends. I want peanut butter fingerprints on my desk. I want inside jokes and fights and everything. I want a life with you.” — The One, Kiera Cass

His Vows: https://donnormantico.com/2022/02/23/his-vows/