.A decade later.

We just celebrated ten years of being together. Love has gotten us far these ten years, but choosing to be here and try every day... that's been what's kept us together.  Choosing to be best friends, choosing to be there for each other even when we didn't always deserve it, choosing paths that would make our family happy, not just ourselves as individuals, that's what made this a grand decade.  And let's not forget the arguments, disagreements, stubbornness, selfishness; let's not forget the pure ridiculous logic we would throw at each other to justify our actions!  Because it's through those heated discussions that we were again forced to choose.  What's good for me versus what's good for us.  So all the days we chose to love and all the days we chose to fight still shows me we choose each other.  Even when our selfish ways say it's too hard.  That it's not fair. Because through the good times and the hard times and making these choices, we realized what was healthy for us, who we wanted to be and what we believed and stood for and what we wanted out of life. Thankfully, after that growth from naive teenagers to real adults, we could still look each other in the eye with admiration, respect, and love. Thank you for working with me at this every single day. Here's to more great choices.

Image  of us by Todd Borka

To Jessica, Happy 11th Valentine

Jessica,

I have been wanting to write this for a long time and figured today was the best day to finally do it. This is my declaration to how awesome you are. I don’t say it enough of how much I appreciate you and everything you put up with on a daily basis (meaning me). You are the most amazing women I have ever met. Not only do I learn new things about you everyday, you help me discover new things about myself. You have turned my simple small town, southern boy’s, life into an adventure. You have taught me so much about myself and help me expand my interests over the years. You have made me want to learn more and travel more. You have turned traveling into my biggest bucket list desire. I once wanted to own a vacation home, now I don’t want to be tied down to one place. I want to travel and see the world! Experience everything it has to offer because our time is so limited on this earth. Most importantly, I only want to share this experience WITH you beside me (ah, and maybe the kids can join).

You have showed me what true love is. It is a love full of compassion, trust, love, & commitment.
Compassion – you have empathy for others that shines in every aspect of your life. This is what makes you a wonderful partner, friend, wife, mother, & therapist. 

Trust – We have a relationship whose foundation was based on trust. We would never have made it through those college years without Trust. I believe it is the glue to our relationship. Trust is not something given but earned over time

Love – You make it a point to be an emotionally and independently happy individual. You treat me with pure love and show me the utmost respect.

Commitment – You are committed to US! No matter what obstacle comes along, we are in this fight together. And to constantly remind ourselves that we are still on the same team!

I thank you for holding me to high standards, not letting me settle, and that makes me strive to be a better husband and a great father to our two beautiful kids.

I love and don’t know what I would do without you in my life and I want the world to know it. Thank you for best 10 years of my life and here’s to 60 more.

Love,
Garrett Hamilton Tyler

Cancun, Mexico

8/02/08

Negril, Jamaica 

Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC

Boston, MA

Boston, MA

Connecticut 

Travel inspired 2012 Vday gift of all the places we have visited

Hilton Head, SC

Savannah, GA

D.C.

NYC x3

St. Augustine, FL

VT (The beautiful Windswept Acres)

And of course life's greatest most rewarding adventure of all......