It’s been almost a decade since Abbie spoke at our wedding reception, and I just so happened to dig her notes out for some inspiration. Her toast was made up of a series of thank yous. Some were thank yous for all the crap I put her through that made her stronger, and some were for being her best friend, hero, and best sister ever. Today I’d like to officially let Abbie know… you’re welcome. You’re all that to me and a lot better looking.

Colby, you know I love you and already consider you a brother. Colby shared with me his plans to propose, and since then he has asked my advice several times. That’s not to say he has ever once taken it. For Mother’s Day, he sent me a link to some necklaces online he thought Abbie would like. I told him which one I thought she’d like, so he went ahead and gave her all three. For one holiday. Who does that? I’m not an expert, but I think you might be setting the bar a little too high. Drew would tell you that you can skip a few holidays now. For the record, you shouldn’t take his advice, either.

My favorite thing about you guys’ love story is how magically unpredictable yet incredibly fated it has been. You have never been two broken halves that needed each other to become one. You’re both strong, beautiful, hilarious people on your own, but you are simply just so much better together. You make a great team. You found someone who has your back, and who knows your worst self and somehow doesn’t want to rescue you or need to be rescued from you. That’s a beautiful thing.

I don’t have any advice for you today, as marriage is something you cannot know before experiencing it. Nobody else’s love, nobody else’s marriage is like yours. It’s a road you can only learn by walking it together. I think I can speak for everyone here when I tell you that we all know the best parts of your story are yet to come. We all cannot wait to watch you build your life together, raise your babies together, and spend forever laughing together. I love you both. Congratulations.