A Love Letter

Tony to Ziva on her 60th birthday

12 November

To my beautiful, sexy, incredible ninja,

I cannot put into words how much you have changed my life forever and for the better. From the day I met you when we were kids and then when you sauntered into the bullpen, I have been drawn to you like a magnet to a piece of iron. Even though we got off to a bit of a rocky start as adults, something about you spoke to my soul. I simply could not and still cannot get enough of you. You have become an essential part of my existence. Without you I could not go on.

The memory of that undercover op so long ago is forever etched in my mind. The pretend sex was nothing compared to the connection that we made only a few hours later when we joined our bodies and souls on a higher and much more intimate level than either of us ever thought possible. I knew deep down that night that you were the only one for me; that you were my forever and my soulmate.

Why we danced around our feelings for each other for so long, I have no idea. Maybe we both needed to grow, and grow up, to where we could truly be as one? Each time you left and I didn't know if I would ever see you again took a part of me. Finding you alive in Somalia brought life back into my heart. Leaving you in Israel is a decision I still regret, even though now in retrospect, I know that was a necessary step to get to what we have today. When I thought you had been killed in that mortar attack, the only thing that saved me was Tali. Knowing that I had a piece of you in her kept me going for the longest four months of my life.

When you said that you would be my wife, you made me the happiest man on Earth. When we exchanged our vows in Reno, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops that I was now married to the most wonderful woman on the planet.

Ziva, there are days when the amount of love I have for you overwhelms me. I wonder how I deserve to have your love and have you by my side for eternity. I cannot imagine my life without you in it, and do not ever want to. You opened my heart to its full capacity of love, and each of our children has added to the love I have for you. I see so many of your strengths in every one of them. They all have your courage and tenacity. Tali has your flair for languages and music. Anthony has your intelligence and compassion. Rivka has your determination and resilience. Beth has many of your softer qualities, such as a fierce loyalty to family. LJ has his Ima's creativity and joy for life.

Your body is my temple. I will never stop wanting you and making love to you. I love touching your body, kissing your lips and elsewhere, making love to you. I need to touch you. (And while I am listing your body's virtues, I must admit that I love, love, love to touch your hair. When you ask me to brush it that turns me on in so many ways.) We were made to be together physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. We have been connected even before we met in this Earthly life. When I am with you, we are together so much more than two combined. Our physical love has created five terrific and unique children, two of whom have already produced a new generation. I love to watch you interact with Levi and Anthony, our grandsons. WOW; grandsons! I wonder sometimes if Senior and Eli are looking down on us from above and pondering their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I would like to think that our love would have brought the two of them to value family. I guess we will never know.

Have I told you today how much I love you? Even if I have, I will tell you a thousand times more each and every day. I love you with every cell in my being, Ziva. My heart, my soul, my mind, my body all belong to you. Every beat of my heart is full of the love I carry for you. My soul has connected to yours forever, and even that is not long enough. My mind cherishes every memory made with you, every moment spent with you. My body craves your touch, your caress, and your kisses.

Happy, happy, happy birthday to my best friend, my lover, my wife, my soulmate, my everything, my completion and my forever.

Ani ohev otach, Ziva.

Yours forever,

Tony