The Letter

On Sunday, John Mayer spoke to me. Well, he spoke to thousands of other people. But he said something that really stuck with me.

"Haters are going to hate, but that just means that lovers got to love...so you write the blog," and that is when I stopped listening and decided he was speaking to me.

This one is for the lovers.

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For my wedding present, I told Justin to write me a letter. I don't need a fancy piece of jewelry- I'll probably lose it. I don't need tickets to an expensive vacation. I'm completely happy with saving for a house. I don't need an expensive dress. For our on our wedding day, I'll be wearing the most expensive and special dress of my entire life.

Instead, I just wanted a letter. Nothing more than words on paper that take my mind to places no diamond, vacation, or expensive outfit could ever take me...

He pulled me aside during our rehersal dinner. He had a huge smile on his face and said, "Do you want to go upstairs so I can give you your wedding gift?"

Of course, he is horrible at surprises and I'm horrible at keeping secrets- so he already got his SCUBA suit for a wedding present. Matched mine :)

He reached in his drawer and pulled out a letter. My heart smiled and my body heated up. My emotions were taking over my soul. My eyes started to fill up and I was so eager to read his beautiful words. And I still cry every single time I read the letter....


"Dear Ashley Marie Bedwell,

Tomorrow, you will become Ashley Marie Sieb. We will be one. Our own family.

Tomorrow, I will be your husband, and you will be my wife; 3 years and 8 months after we met in a college basement playing beer pong.

Tomorrow, we will say our vows, do our dance, eat our cake, and make our love.

Tomorrow, will be your day. My day. Our day.

But tomorrow is not just one day, tomorrow is forever.

We will be together, til death do us part. Our souls knew from the moment we met, that they had met their counterpart in life. The soul that had been searching for the past 19 years.

There is no one else I want to be with for the rest of my life. I love you. I love going to bed with you. I love waking up next to you. I love listening to you talk about writing. I love reading your writing. I love the mother you will be. I love challenging you. I love that you challenge me.

I am excited to be your husband. To tell you everything is going to be okay. To stick up for you in times of trial. To defend you from sharks in a few days. To wrap my arms around you after you've had a long day and tell you that you're beautiful. To be a good father. To love you until the day that I die.

Your gift:
I wish that I had known Grandpa Larry. He fished, he told jokes, and he gave you a hard time...sounds like I would have got along with him just fine. I know how much he meant to you and know how much you would love for him to be in the pews with Grandma Iris, but God has his plans. Your grandpa is watching us right now, smiling. Proud of the woman you have become, and the man that you have found to take care of you. He may not be in the pews, but you will have him in your bouquet tomorrow and in your heart forever."

A tear splashed down on the letter. And then a few more. I looked him and saw him holding a box with a locket in it. My locket with grandpa's picture in it.

I looked up at him. His eyes were full and for once in my life, I was speechless. Absolutely speechless.

Love is a verb. An action. You do more than feel it and say it, you act on it. So I hugged him hard and felt my heart beat through his. And that letter is the most magical present I've ever received. And ever will.

Much love,
Ashley