Today,
Jessica "JeJe Anne" Reath and I celebrate four years — a presidential term, an undergraduate degree — together.
I don't consider myself a mushy person (and I don't think most people who know me would) but I do believe in honesty — a necessary ingredient in any serious human interaction and one that Jessi and I have planted and nurtured and grown together.
The truth is that, as I think anyone in a longterm relationship can testify to, it hasn't all been a trip to the
Fireworks, Candy, and Puppy Dog Store. But I've learned just as much (if not more) from Jessi during this time of my life than I did in any class or in any book that I read, and I continue to learn from her and from our relationship on a daily basis and I love her dearly for it.
The "proof" as they say, is in the pudding (I wanted to make a pun on "picture proof" here, but I couldn't work out a good enough way of doing it):

Jessi is a wonderful, honest, supportive, strong, bold, caring, beautiful partner, and these scanty words do not do her justice.
Here's to four more years.
And more.
I love you.