In Reply

You're amazing. You have lived with me, encouraged me, travelled across the ocean and into the desert mountains with me, you have waited home alone way too many nights. You have taken my crazy mood swings in stride. You have always been beside me. You have pushed me forward, and at times have pulled me up and then shoved me in the right direction. I like to think I can live on my own, that I am self-sufficient. I think every man likes to believe that. I know for me that is not true. It hits me in the face every time you leave town and I am paralyzed. Forget to eat. Cannot function. It's terrible.

My time with you, our time together, has been full. It is now fuller than ever before. Brimming over with joy and happiness. I feel that though stretched beyond limits I thought we would have broken at, we have endured and have become closer. Like the Frey's told us, before you told them they were wrong about something else, our love is so much different now then 10 years before. I couldn't understand it before. I can't say it's less or more, just different. We had a giddy love, now we have a knowing love. It's the same, but different. Like Nepal.

The poem, written in pre-algebra class at Tomball College, that still has not made it into a frame says it all.

I Love Your Chicken

I love your character
I love you hair
I love your carefree will
I love your arms, no big deal
I love your compassion
I love your new fashion
I love your fresh thinking
I love your little pinky
I love your deep insightful poems
I love your thoughts on our different homes
I love your outlook on life
I love your perfect height
I love your giving heart
I love your mom's little shopping cart
I love your stubborn soul
I love your body whole
I love your feisty temper
I love your dirty clothes hamper
I love your view on things others are blinded of
I love your deep, unconditional, forgiving love
I love your over consideration of others
I love your love and affection for your brothers
I love your beaming Christmas spirit
I love your leather jacket and how you wear it
I love your need for your family
I love your dances like Emily
I love your childlike love for God
I love your want of a Great Dane dog
I love your emotional roller coasters
I love your chrome toasters
I love everything about you
I love you

Joel J. Hunt 1998