14 Reasons I Love Nicholas James

Five years ago this month I was rejecting Nicholas' proposal to start dating. Now, it is fun to see how far we've come. In no particular order, here are 14 reasons Nicholas has my heart for eternity:

1. He cried at the end of The Notebook and
asked me never to get Alzheimer’s.

2. After I bear my testimony my hands are always freezing
and he holds them until they are warm again. 

3. He watches Stargate on Hulu so as to not infect the whole house with his nerdiness.
It’s funny when he laughs while watching it.

4. During the 15 minutes between getting home form church
and my needing to leave for choir practice he rushes
to make me a grilled cheese sandwich.

5. Whenever we go to a friends’ house, right before we knock on the door I ask him to put on his best face and
this is the smile he gives: 

6. At Twin Lakes when I was embarrassed to wakeboard
in front of experienced wakeboarders, Nick went first to offset any
awkwardness as he does not wakeboard well either.

7. He quotes movies with me. “Hansel is SO hot right now.”
“Fran-cis-co.” “Is this hand-shucked?” "I do not think that means
what you think it means." "Help, help, I'm being repressed!"

 

8. When I ask him how much he loves me he stretches out
his arms as wide as he can and then moves his fingers
in and out to indicate “more than this.”

9. On snowy days when the car is iced over he’ll go outside
and scrape the windshield because he knows I hate being cold
and the sound of ice always gives me chills.

10. He still keeps the contract-card in his wallet I gave him
(before I knew we would be sealed for eternity) that says
he can take pictures of me whenever he wants.

11. This is Harold the Cricket, Sir Gallahad the Fly, and Paco the Bird.
We name little creatures that find us.

12. On the Christmases when we can’t be in Oregon with family
he always puts a pen in my stocking because he knows
that’s what my dad would do if we were there.

13. He finds things like this funny (I’m lost):

14. Every morning when I’ve realized that, once again, I hoarded a lot of the covers on my side of the bed that night, he says it’s okay because the covers he had were enough and he was glad I was warm.

There are so many other reasons to list, truly.
Daily I am surprised that I could possibly love him more than I did the day previous. He is the Otter to my Pop, the Foot to my Ball, the Teddy to my Bear. I strive to be better everyday to live up to what he already believes I am. We have always been comfortable just talking from our very first date, neither of us trying to impress the other. After 5 years of being together we are so close, truly each others' best friends. Nothing is as good without Nick as it could be with him. Our love feels like going home; it’s so comfortable. I have the highest respect for him and wish I did not have to wait another minute to see him as a father. 

For these reasons, and a billion more, Nicholas is my Valentine today and everyday forever!