The acronym above is for a TV show most people have seen. It is one of my favorites and I have recently started rewatching it. The show provides me comfort, not from the characters or anything specific really, but just the whole aesthetic. I feel the show is an old friend that I have not seen in years.

If you have not seen it, the show is based around Ted telling his kids how he met their mother. It is told almost exclusively in flashbacks. There are so many lessons you see him learn through dating and interactions with his friends. You really get the sense that the core of who he is and what he desires doesn’t change, but it is all those experiences that make him capable of being the perfect fit for his future wife. I liken my journey to meeting Jayme something similar.

I was not ready to love someone the way I love her a moment sooner then when we met. I was selfish, irresponsible, made questionable decisions, I was a much more tarnished version of myself. It took falling down multiple times to learn how to love and be myself. All of those struggles were painful and almost unbearable at times, but, in the end, they are all worth it. The prize of feeling worthy of this most special kind of love has no equal. I revel in it daily and am grateful that our paths crossed when they did, when I was ready to be the kind of partner Jayme deserved and desired.

I am excited to tell our kids someday the story of “how I met their mother“. I am sure they will listen patiently and barely care, but for me being able to tell the story is what is important. It means that we made it, that we established a family together and are continuing the journey we began back in the twilight of 2015. The next chapter in that story is coming very soon (not soon enough though). I had a day this week where I forgot that I had a ring on its way. All of a sudden I snapped back and sent my third “hey, just checking on how things are going” emails.

Jayme just asked me “what are you typing…” I guess it is time to wrap this one up early and go watch another episode!