Disclaimer: Steph owns.

A/N: This is it guys. I can't thank you all enough for reading, reccing, reviewing. Even if it was a little tweet or smiley face. I never in a million years thought that people would actually like a little idea that came from my crazy head. I love these characters and it's hard to let them go.

I plan on doing some outtakes so you can put me on Author Alert if you are interested. I can't let them go completely.

Thank you so much to killerlashes for, first and foremost, introducing me to the Twilight Saga. Thank you to messynachos for introducing me to fanfic. I can't tell you how much I love and appreciate everything the two of you have done over the past year.

Until next time.

XOXO

Ash

Epilogue – The Ties That Bind

Six inches of snow covered the ground at the old church on a cold day in December. The sun was peeking out from behind the clouds, a good omen, Sue had said.

"Breathe, baby." Sue set her hands on my shoulders as I sat in front of a small vanity mirror at the church.

"I'm breathing. Aren't I?" I asked worriedly.

"Well, you're rambling so that means you're breathing." Rosalie smirked down at me. "Now, hold still." She said as she twisted a braid on my head and pinned it in place. I put a hand on the little bump under her dress and gently pushed her.

"Get that thing outta my face," I teased.

"Don't talk to your niece that way," Rosalie said with a smile. Ever since they'd found out they were having a girl Emmett had been in full-on freak out mode. He was a guy, he knew guy stuff. He was scared to death. What Emmett didn't realize was that he had always been the best big brother to me and I knew for a fact that he would be an excellent father to a little girl. I'd already been giving her lessons on how to wrap him around her little finger.

"Sorry, Little Bella," I whispered to the bump and Rose laughed.

"Don't tell Emmett that. He's very set on his choice of names."

"Rose, I don't care how much he loves Harry Potter, you can't let him name the baby Hermione. It's just wrong." Leah strode into the room, looking stunning in her gold dress.

"He's your brother," Rose snorted and placed my final braid up before situating my veil on my head.

"Not by blood, thank God." Leah rolled her eyes and picked up my bouquet. "Now, are you ready to become Mrs. Cullen?"

"Since I was 17." I smiled and Leah rolled her eyes.

"Well, it took you long enough to get here." She handed me my flowers and smirked.

"Hush you," I teased her, expecting another smart remark from her. But when I looked into her dark eyes all I saw were tears. "Lee-Lee," I whispered and she shook her head. I set my flowers down and pulled her to me.

"I'm just so happy for you," she sniffed as she hugged me.

"Thank you," I said as my eyes began to prick with hot tears.

"Stop crying, you'll mess up your makeup!" Rosalie cried and we broke apart and turned to her. Tears were streaming down her face and Sue had a comforting arm wrapped around her shoulders. The four us of laughed and hugged each other until Alice came in.

"Are you ready – Oh! Did I miss the crying? Dammit!" she yelled and stomped her foot. "That's what I get for being the stupid groom's sister," she grumbled and we laughed again. Alice had graciously taken the job of wedding planner and Rosalie was going to stand beside me as my Matron of Honor.

"Let's get this show on the road; I've been waiting a long time for this." Esme's voice filled the small room where we were all gathered. "You're going to knock him off his feet, my beautiful girl."

"That's the plan." I smiled at my future mother-in-law.

"Shall we?" Sue held the door open and we walked out, Alice and Leah holding the train to my dress up so I wouldn't trip, the white ballet flats on my feet showing from beneath it. My dad and brothers stood waiting just outside the door; all of their faces broke into grins when I walked out.

"You're beautiful, Izzy." Seth kissed my cheek. "I've gotta go make sure the groom didn't run away." He winked and I smacked him lightly in the shoulder.

"Congrats, baby girl," Emmett whispered and kissed my cheek before walking away. I rolled my eyes, knowing that he was happy for me but also that he didn't want to ruin his tough-guy rep by crying.

"Okay, we need to get into place," Alice said as she positioned everyone in line. Esme left and returned quickly with Masen in tow, looking adorable in his tuxedo.

"Wow," he whispered when he saw me. I carefully knelt down, pulling my silk gown up so as not to wrinkle it.

"How do I look?"

"Beautiful, Mama." He kissed my cheek and I straightened his tie.

"Let's go get married, then." I stood and took his hand as my dad handed me my flowers. I let go of Masen once it was Leah's turn to walk down the aisle and linked my arm through my father's.

"We can always sneak out the back door," my dad whispered and I laughed quietly.

"Thanks, Dad. I think I'm okay though."

"Just let me know if you change your mind." He squeezed my hand as the music started and everyone in the church stood.

"Too late now." I grinned at him as we took our first step into the sanctuary. I could feel their eyes on me but I couldn't register any of their faces. I could only see Edward.

There, at the end of the aisle, he stood looking breathtakingly handsome in his classic black tux. I could hardly register the faces that stood behind him – Emmett, Jasper, Seth. It was the one that stood in front that stole my heart. Both of my boys stood there waiting for me. By the time I reached Edward my tears were flowing freely. He held out his hand, and my dad placed mine in Edward's, squeezing them both softly before he took his place beside Sue.

I could hardly register the words that the minister said, the words that Edward and I both echoed so willingly. Tears filled his emerald eyes as he said the words that tied us together forever.

"I do."

I could hardly choke out my response before his hands were on my face and the minister pronounced us husband and wife.

"I love you." His words were soft against my lips.

"I love you," I whispered before pressing my lips to his. Behind us my brother cleared his throat and the church erupted into applause when we broke apart. Edward pulled Masen into his arms and I leaned over and kissed his cheek and wrapped my arms around them.

I didn't think it was possible to feel so much happiness.

xXx

"Edward!" I cried, swatting at his hands.

"Stop fighting me, woman!" he yelled as I took off toward the front steps of our home. The concrete was cold and slippery beneath my bare feet and my coat slipped off my shoulders exposing my skin and the thin silk of my dress. I stood on the steps and watched as the limo drove away and my husband stalked toward me.

My husband.

"Bella. It's tradition, dammit." He held his hands out and I went to him willingly.

"Fine," I said, giving in with good grace as I slipped my arms around his neck. He slipped one arm behind my back and the other lifted my feet off the ground. I placed a kiss beneath his ear as he opened our front door and then carried me over the threshold, then up the stairs and to our bedroom. Candles had been lit and champagne poured. Edward set me on my feet and took only my hand as we took in our surroundings. A beautiful white down comforter and white sheets covered our bed. Thankfully, there were no rose petals.

"Champagne?" Edward asked as he slipped off my coat and kissed my neck.

"Yes, please." I kissed the palm of his hand before he handed me a glass.

"To you, Mrs. Cullen." Edward touched his glass to mine. I sipped from mine, then took both of ours and set them back on the table.

My hands slipped over Edward's crisp, white shirt, then up to his shoulders, and he helped me remove his jacket before he kissed me softly. I undid the tie at his neck that had been loosened hours earlier and worked my way down the buttons while his hands roved up and down my body, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Edward kissed me again while he slid down the zipper on my dress. He slipped it from my shoulders until the silk puddled in a pool at my feet.

"Since when do you not wear underwear?" he asked as his hands cupped my ass and pulled me against him.

"No lines," I gasped and tangled my hands in his hair. I pulled his mouth to mine and then continued to undress him, slipping off his shirt and then undoing his belt and pants until they joined my dress on the floor.

"We should probably hang that up." He gestured to my dress and ran my hands down his chest.

"Later," I said as I pulled his undershirt over his head. He agreed and gently slipped his arms under me, lifting me into his arms and setting me down on our bed. I pulled him on top of me, bringing him between my legs and wrapping my arms around him. His lips covered my skin in hot, wet kisses while his fingers explored my body. They moved over my breasts, down my side, across my hips… I arched against him and brought his mouth to mine when his fingers found me.

My hips rocked with his movements until I was gasping for breath and tugging at his hair. He stood and I helped him removed his boxers then I placed a kiss on the words tattooed over his heart before pulling him back to me.

"What does that mean again?" I asked as he toweled himself off.

"Deus est meus sacramentum." The words fell from his lips and I wanted to push him back into the shower and up against the tile wall… again.

"But what does that mean?"

"God is my oath. Don't you listen, woman?"he teased and dug his fingers into my rib cage.

"Of course I do, I'm just confused as to why exactly you have those words tattooed on your skin for all eternity, sweetheart." I patted his cheek and he rolled his eyes.

"Isabella," he said and I frowned slightly.

"What?" I asked, giving him a confused look.

"Isabella," he said again and looked at me with the look he sometimes gave Masen when he was trying to explain something.

"What the hell, Edward? Just tell me!" I threw my hands up in the air, causing my towel to fall down. He stared at me for a moment before taking my hand and placing it over the words, over his heart.

"Deus est meus sacramentum translated into English means 'God is my oath' which, in turn is the meaning of the word Isabella, which, if I'm correct – is your name."

I stared at him with big, sappy eyes until I pulled him to me and kissed him hard.

We didn't make it back into the shower.

"I love you, husband," I whispered as he filled me completely and rested his forehead against mine.

"I love you more, wife." His breath was warm on my face, eyes glinting with love and lust and everything that we were feeling.

"Impossible," I breathed as he moved inside of me.

He kissed me then and soon the argument was forgotten as we clung to each other in the darkness of our bedroom, the only sounds our breathing and our skin as we moved together. We collapsed together, exhausted from the long day, and dreamt of the exotic place we'd soon be visiting.

xXx

One Year Later

"Anybody home?" I called as I closed the front door behind me.

"In here!" a little voice answered. I smiled and followed it into the dining room.

"Hey guys." I kissed Masen's head and ruffled Haley's blond curls before setting my stuff down on the table. "What's going on?"

"Math homework," Haley grumbled.

"It's not so bad." Masen shrugged and continued working on his paper.

"It's boring. Daddy always just uses a calculator." She pulled at a stray strand of hair and I laughed. That sounded like Mike.

"Calculators are helpful." I glanced at the paper and tried not to roll my eyes. Two digit addition. First grade was easy. "Where's your mom?" I asked as I grabbed a snack for the kids.

"She's upstairs staring at stuff." Masen answered, taking a handful of Goldfish.

"Staring at stuff?" I asked him and they both looked up at me, exasperated.

"She kept saying 'Where will I put it'," Haley explained as if it were the simplest thing ever.

"Put what?" I questioned.

"I don't know, Mr. Edward." The little girl shrugged and I tried not to be frustrated with them. Friggin' six year olds.

"Fine. Finish your homework and you guys can help make dinner," I told them before heading upstairs looking for my wife. "Izzy?" I called when reached the second floor.

"Up here." Her voice was quiet. It sounded like she'd been crying. When I reached the landing on the third floor I found her sitting on the floor against Masen's bedroom door doing exactly as he said. She was staring at things, mainly the door to the guest room.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I took a seat beside her.

"Thinking." She frowned and turned to me. I was right. Tears were rolling freely down her cheeks.

"About?"

"Stuff," she said as her eyes raked over my face and hair.

"Care to elaborate?" I tried not to laugh. She reached out and touched my lips softly and then kissed me.

"I just need to know where I'm going to put it," she whispered as she pulled away and leaned against the door again.

"Put what? You're freaking me out, Iz." I took her face in my hands and pulled her to me, forcing her to look at me.

"What?" she asked, startled.

"What do you need to put somewhere?" I brushed her tears away with my thumbs and kissed her forehead, surreptitiously checking to see if she had a fever. Maybe she was delusional.

"The baby, silly. I need to know where to put the baby. When it gets here of course. There's really no use in making a decision now, it is way too early to even be talking about it and..." She rambled on, not catching my confused look, but fuck, was I confused.

"What… what baby?" I asked and her eyes finally focused on mine. They crinkled at the corners as a huge smile spread across her tearstained face.

"Our baby."

"He's downstairs. He has a room," I whispered though I knew full well what she meant. Maybe I was wrong, though. I didn't want to be wrong. I wanted to be right. We weren't trying but… we kind of were.

Bella removed one of my hands from her face and guided it to her stomach, flat and smooth, nothing there.

Except that – there was.

"This baby, you silly boy."

"This baby?" I asked and lifted her shirt up so I could see her stomach. "This little, tiny thing?" I drew a little heart on her skin.

"Yes." She giggled under my cold hands.

"Right here." I kissed a spot below her belly button and she ran a hand through my hair.

"Uh huh," Bella whispered and then I was on my knees in front of her.

"Here?" I asked before pressed my mouth to her skin again, but instead of kissing her I blew a raspberry on her exposed stomach.

"Yes!" She shrieked with laughter until I pulled her into my lap and kissed her.

"I put a baby in there?"

"We put a baby in there," she said against my mouth.

"I did most of the work."

"It's my egg!"

"I fertilized it." I grinned and she buried her head in my shoulder.

"Gross, Edward. I'm the one who has to grow it."

"You grow good babies," I whispered into her ear.

"You make good babies," she whispered back.

"We make good babies," I corrected her.

"Yeah, we do. Speaking of which…" She looked at me meaningfully. "We should probably tell that baby downstairs about this baby in here."

I grinned. "Especially since we didn't ask his permission first."

xXx

"Are you sure this is it?" Edward asked for what felt like the seventeenth time.

"Have you ever had a baby, Edward?" I nearly yelled as I gripped his hand tightly.

"Well, no but – I just want to -"

"Take me to the hospital!" That time I did yell, but my husband finally complied. It was just after three on a cold November morning. I didn't remember much after that because there were complications and I was rushed to emergency surgery. Edward was with me the whole time, whispering words by my ear and keeping my forehead cool. He kissed my face and held my hand and when tears streamed from his eyes I knew our little girl had finally made her entrance.

He kissed me quickly and then disappeared. I reached for him, needing to know about my daughter, needing him by my side. I wanted her in my arms, to see her face and argue with Edward about who she looked like. My husband, of course, granted me my demands. I smiled as he walked toward me, a tiny bundle in his arms. He laid her on my chest and rested his head next to mine. Big brown eyes stared up at me and I knew at once that I would always win the argument. Thick brown curls covered her head and her little pink lips opened and closed like a little fish. We laughed as we watched her, and then we cried. We cried for the moments we'd lost with Masen, for the people who couldn't be here to witness this joyous day. We cried out of pure, unadulterated love for the baby girl in my arms.

"Welcome to the world, Elizabeth Renee," I whispered and pressed my lips to the top of her head.

"Welcome home, Libby." Edward's hand gently touched our daughter's face before he kissed me softly. "Thank you."

"I love you so much." I ran my hand over his face and he rested his forehead against mine.

Once I was moved to my recovery room our family came to greet us and meet Libby, but my eyes were only for my little boy. He walked tentatively to me, almost scared. I held my hand out to him and he took it, standing silently at the edge of my bed.

"Hi, my beautiful boy." I pulled him a little closer.

"Are you okay?" Masen whispered with his face close to mine.

"I'm perfect, baby. Don't worry about me. Did you meet your sister?" I brushed his hair away and he smiled so like his father.

"She's pretty. She looks like you."

"Don't tell your dad that," I whispered and he laughed.

"I heard that," Edward joked accusingly as he sat down on the edge of my bed with Libby in his arms. I smiled at my husband as I pulled my son closer to me and basked in the glow of my little family.

xXx

"Edward, this place is gorgeous!" I sighed as my husband led me up another flight of stairs of the house we were visiting. It truly was a remarkable home. And brand new, just on the outskirts of Seattle where his new firm would be.

Making the move to Seattle was a tough decision, but Edward's firm would thrive better in a big city. I'd applied for a position at WSU and was waiting patiently for an answer. It wasn't a problem if I didn't get it; I would be more than happy to stay home with Libby. Edward had still encouraged me to take the job though, knowing that I would probably go stir-crazy not teaching.

"You like it?" he asked, his green eyes sparkling. I was momentarily rendered speechless by the way the light that came through the bare windows caught the bronze in his hair. And, of course, by the way he expertly held our daughter in his arms. Her head of curly brown hair rested against his shoulder, a chubby hand in her mouth. She had grown so much in the six months since her birth; she was alert and observant and already itching to play with her cousins.

"I do, but there were so many great ones already…" I trailed off. This house was beautiful, but it was so big and so, so expensive.

"Mom!" Masen came skidding to a stop on the landing in front of us. "This house is awesome! Can we move in like, tomorrow?"

"I know you like it baby, but… Daddy and I have to talk about it," I told him and he frowned up at his father.

"But you worked really hard -" Masen started to say before Edward pulled him to his side, and clapping a hand over his mouth to muffle Masen's voice. "DAD!"

"Masen," Edward said softly but stern enough that Masen knew not to argue, "Why don't you go look at the bedrooms on the second floor. Pick your favorite, okay?" Masen nodded and went without another word.

"Why would you tell him that?" I asked, almost exasperated. "Edward, this is something serious we need to discuss together. You shouldn't get his hopes up like that!" I would have finished by smacking him on the shoulder, but Libby had fallen asleep and I didn't dare disturb her.

"Come with me," he shifted the baby and took my hand. I followed reluctantly into the most beautiful master bedroom I'd ever seen. It took up nearly the entire back of the house with floor to ceiling windows and a balcony that spanned the entire length of the room.

It was so beautiful I forgot I was angry. I dropped his hand and stepped to open the French doors. The view of the backyard was beautiful, there was already a wooden swing set and patio furniture set up there.

"Can we afford this?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"Izzy," his whispered and pulled me to his side. I melted into him, smoothing Libby's unruly curls as she drooled and snored softly into her father's t-shirt. I closed my eyes for a moment and imagined us just a short time ago, skirting around our feelings and keeping things from each other. Edward's warm lips on my forehead brought me back to the beautiful room in the beautiful house we were standing in.

"No we can't afford it…" he said and I sighed sadly. It really was perfect. "But - I mean… There's really no reason to buy it twice, is there?"

"You already bought it?" I rested my chin on his shoulder, daring myself not to smile.

"Well, not really." He shifted uncomfortably away from me; the hand that was wrapped about my waist went to rub Libby's back softly.

"Mom," Masen leaned against the door, an exasperated look on his face. "Don't you get it?"

"What are you talking about?" I glared between the two of them. My evil, evil boys. "What's the secret I don't know about?"

"I -" Edward started, but Masen interrupted.

"He built it, can't you tell?" my son cried, throwing his hands up in the air.

"You – you built this?" I gasped and put my hand to the wall. Dirty thoughts of my sweaty, filthy husband wearing a tool belt filled my mind before I came to terms with the actual way Edward 'built' things. And then so many things made sense. There were the quiet, whispered conversations from his office that I'd overhead. The late nights and working on weekends. Everything fell into place in my brain and I stared at him, speechless again.

"This is… yours?" I asked tentatively.

"Technically, it's ours," he smiled slightly. I crossed the few feet between us and placed my hands on either side of his face then kissed him fiercely.

"You are a brilliant, beautiful man," I whispered against his lips. He laughed and kissed me again, an exuberant smile on his face.

"Does that mean we get to move in finally?" Masen asked loudly, still perched against the door.

"Of course!" I picked him up and spun him around planting messy kisses on his adorable face. "I can't believe you kept this a secret!"

"You wouldn't believe what that cost me." Edward rolled his eyes and Masen laughed loudly.

I lived for the days like this, where life seemed to good to be true.

xXx

Five Years Later

"Ow! Dammit!" There was a crash and then my son's voice.

"Masen Charles!" I yelled from the hallway.

"Sorry, Dad," he muttered. "I dropped the table."

"Just… don't let your mother hear." I tried not to laugh as I helped him carry the folding table to our backyard.

"She's upstairs with Josh anyways, she can't hear me over his screaming." He grinned and I ruffled his hair as I went back inside. I nearly tripped over a ball of fur laid up on the rug in the kitchen. EJ may be old but he was still trouble.

Joshua wasn't completely an accident, though with Masen in middle school and Libby getting ready to start kindergarten we weren't exactly planning on another baby.

While Masen was turning into a fairly responsibly pre-teen, Libby was slowly coming out of her 'princess' stage; growing up with Masen as a big brother had spoiled her greatly. Being a big sister had helped bring her away from her diva ways.

Joshua was probably the most difficult of our children. His light brown curls and big green eyes got him nearly everything he wanted, from his grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Being the baby of the entire family didn't help much either.

Hardly a year after Emmett and Rosalie's daughter Emma (Rose blatantly refused Emmett's first choice of names and he settled on naming his daughter after the actress who played Hermione) was born they were bringing Harrison home from the hospital. How Emmett talked Rosalie into naming their son that was beyond me. That woman was a saint.

Alice and Jasper went through with their adoption plans and welcomed a little boy named Logan into their home. He was nearly a year old when he came to them, all blond curls and big gray eyes. You could hardly tell he wasn't their blood. Two months later Alice discovered she was pregnant. If someone had told me that my sister would be the mother of two dirty little boys I would have had them committed. But she was, and Logan and Aiden quickly because my sister's heart and soul. She camped and fished with them all while maintaining her clothing line of high end designs for low end prices.

We were still waiting on Seth and Leah to bring someone home who we deemed worthy. Leah was undoubtedly married to her career and Seth was having too much fun at Stanford to commit to anything but football and his studies.

Soon they would all be at our home in Seattle to celebrate Charlie and Sue's anniversary. Life had nearly have to a screeching halt a year or so after Libby was born. I got the call and rushed from a work site to pull Bella out of a lecture. Charlie had had a heart attack. It was mild but worried us all, to say the least. He agreed to take things slower, to enjoy life at a different pace. It was, no doubt, the many grandchildren that surrounded him that changed his mind.

Masen was the first, but definitely not the last to steal his heart and Charlie decided he should keep his heart a bit healthier if he wanted to watch them grow up. He and Sue loved and cared for Alice and Jasper's boys like they were there own; Christmas and birthday gifts, any little thing was showered upon them just as it was the others.

So, that's how we found the entire family at our house to celebrate them. My parents had moved back to the states shortly after Libby was born. My father decided it was time to retire and spend more time with his wife. Mom agreed wholeheartedly and had taken to dragging him all over Washington to different flea markets and antique shops. I'd never seen him happier.

Three blond heads followed by flowing brown curls nearly knocked me down as Emma, Logan, and Aiden ran by me. I pulled the last one into my arms, my sweet little girl, and kissed her loudly.

"Daddy!" she giggled and tried to worm herself out of my arms. "Let me go!"

"Never!" I cried and hugged her tighter.

"You hafta! Masen is hiding and the first one to find him gets five dollars! And I know where he is!" She put her hands on my face and I laughed. Of course she knew where he was. Libby knew her big brother like the back of her hand.

"Will you split it with me?" I asked her seriously.

"Only if you put me down," she frowned. I quickly obliged and she ran off behind the others. Emmett came up behind me with Harrison following him like a little shadow, brown curls hung over his face and his dimples seemingly stuck permanently on his face.

"Uncle Edward? When can we have cake?" Harrison asked from beside me as he rubbed his belly. Emmett and I laughed. He couldn't be more like his father.

"After Pop and Nana get here," I explained to him as Bella joined us outside. Joshua's head rested on her shoulder, his little lips moving his pacifier in and out of his mouth. I held my arms out and he came to me, wrapping his arms around my neck and burying his face in my shirt. I kissed his hair and he gave a little shudder, an after effect from his crying.

Bella bit her lip as she watched him. Though I hadn't been there when Masen was a baby I knew that he had not been this difficult. Libby was nearly perfect. Joshua was a challenge for both of us.

"He'll be fine, Iz," Emmett reassured her. "Harry was the same way."

"What was I?" Harrison looked up at his father.

"A big crybaby," Emmett explained and Harrison stuck his tongue out at him.

"Harrison Edward Swan!" Rosalie's voice came from behind us and Harrison's eyes widened.

"Full name, buddy. You better go." Emmett nodded to the back yard and Harrison took off running.

"Stop teaching my son such things!" Rose slapped Emmett's shoulder. He winced and then wrapped an arm around her.

"I can't help it, babe. I'm an idiot," he said and she laughed.

"So true," Jasper said as he and Alice joined us outside with a tray full of drinks. We all nodded in agreement.

"Have you seen Masen? We can't find him anywhere." Emma came up the steps, blond hair bouncing around her shoulders.

"Nope. Sorry guys," I told them as I shifted Joshua in my arms and took Bella's hand. I knew exactly where he was. I pulled my wife through the house and out the front door and took a seat on the old wooden swing we'd hung. She cocked an eyebrow at me but didn't argue when I tugged her down next to me. "Look." I nodded across the street and she followed my gaze then her face broke into a smile.

Our son sat under a big oak tree in front of a light blue house, with a book in his hand. But that wasn't the thing she was smiling at. Next to him was a young girl with long brown hair listening with rapt attention to whatever he was reading to her.

"Look familiar?" Bella asked as she laid her head on my shoulder and laced her fingers through mine. I kissed her head and smiled as we watched them.

Once upon a time I was that kid, under that tree with a little brown haired girl who'd someday become my wife. She was the mother of my children, the keeper of my heart and soul. She was the one who tied me to the earth when everything went wrong, that kept me grounded when I felt upside-down.

Watching our children grow, learn, and most importantly love was the greatest thing that could have ever happened to us. Each day brought us something new and each moment we grew more madly in love with each other. We knew the decisions that we had made had not always been the best ones, but they'd eventually brought us back to each other.

In the end, that was all that really mattered.