If it were a contest, I'm pretty sure I would win!

Disclaimer: This post is not intended to hurt anyones feelings, make anyone feel bad about their current situation, think less of themselves, have feelings of jealousy, or wish they could be in my situation. Take note that it shouldn't, but it probably will...

Disclaimer 2: I NEVER wanted to become a sappy person, or be categorized with those people, so I hope this post doesn't make me one of them in your mind.

My fiance, he loves me.


Right now you might be thinking something like, "Lindsey, you're getting married to this guy, and will be with him FOREVER... so I hope he loves you!!!"

But when I say that my fiance loves me, I'm not just saying that he loves me a little bit, or that he's fairly fond of me... What I mean, is just what my title said--if being loved were a contest, I'm pretty sure I would win!

Let me illustrate:

I'm lactose intolerant, yet I really like to eat Frosties from Wendy's. Tanner {that's the name that belongs to my fiance, for those of you who don't know}, he loves me so much that when I am really craving a Frosty he'll get one and let me eat a few bites--enough to satisfy my craving, but not so much as to make me ill. Then he will eat the melty remains whenever I decide I'm done. He's a good man.

I have often hear the stories of women who say that their men/husbands/fiances/lovers/whatever-it-is-you-want-to-put-in-heres don't tell them they love them very often. It's always the woman saying "I love you" and the man has a hard time expressing him emotions. Not Tanner: he reminds me often that he loves me. [And when I need it, he reminds me why he loves me].

I could call Tanner anytime--day or night--and he would be okay with that. He wouldn't be angry or upset at all.

Tanner, he can read my moods. If we are chatting, he can tell just by looking at me if I have suudenly changed moods and something is not okay: that, my friends, is a talent. Not only can he read my mood in person, but he can do it over the phone as well. I have no idea how he does it, but he can tell the good silences from the bad ones over the phone! It's a miracle really!

I like to be strong, and cry in front of VERY few people. Tanner makes me feel comfortable enough that I can cry in front of him. And when I cry for stupid reasons, I mean really stupid reasons--like how much I hate not being able to eat ice cream, how sad it is to see a one legged bird at Sonic, or for absolutely no reason at all--he doesn't make me feel dumb for it. He makes me feel like that is a perfectly okay thing to do, and he will just hold me and be there for me. That, is love.

Tanner always lets me choose things, like what we're going to do, or eat, or see. Yet when I am having a really hard 'decision making day' he can tell, and he'll make the choices {though probably just so he doesn't have to see me cry for 'no reason at all'...}.

One of his goals is to make me laugh because he loves to see me happy!

And above all, he would do anything for me!!! In case you don't believe that last statement, I have a story to prove it:

{When we were a bit younger and unbetrothed, my friend Camille and I talked about asking out future husbands if they would take our last names, instead of us taking theirs. While Camille was engaged she asked Poor Kyle, and I got the biggest kick out of her story, so I decided that I just HAD to do the same thing someday. When 'someday' presented itself, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity. [And I promise, I'm not normally this greedy!]}

One late night Tanner and I went for a Jack in the Box taco run in my trusty car Stella


As we were sitting in the car munching we had a conversation that went something like this:

Me: Tanner, I have something I need to talk to you about...

Tanner: Yeah, anything. What is it?

Me: Well, you know how we've been talking a lot about marriage lately?

Tanner: Yeah...

Me: Well, Before it goes any further, I think there's something that needs to be brought up.

Tanner: And what's that?

Me: I have been thinking A LOT. You know how much my last name means to me, right...? I mean being a Burnham is a big deal to me--I'm really proud of all that stands for.

Tanner: Okay. So what exactly have you been thinking?

Me: Well, I don't know if I can give up my last name... I don't know if I'm ready for that.

Tanner: I see.

Me: So... I was thinking. What if instead of ME changing my last name, you changed YOURS!

Tanner: {awkward silence} Umm...

Me: What if you became Tanner Burnham?

Tanner: Uhh....

Me: Do you hate my last name?!

Tanner: No! Of course not... Why? Do you hate mine?

Me: No... You know what, never mind. Just forget it. I don't want to talk about this any more...

Tanner: Come on Linds. We need to talk about this. It's obviously important to you and I want to work through it.

Me: Tanner Burnham doesn't sound bad! I mean that's almost what my nephew was named... or we could hyphenate: Burnham-Layton or Layton-Burnham. Unless you just totally hate the idea all together...

Tanner: I don't hate the idea, it's just a lot to take in... I mean it's nothing I've ever thought about. My whole entire life I just thought I would keep my name just like it was.

Me: Tanner, we don't have to talk about this right now... I mean it's not a big deal.

Tanner: No, I want to talk about it right now. Tanner Burnham... Hmm... Tanner Burnham...

Me: Oh, just forget it... It doesn't matter.

Tanner: Lindsey, I don't think you realize how much I love you!! Sure, changing my name is something totally unexpected and a big change, but if that's what I need to do for you, I'll DO IT!

Me: Are you kidding me?!

Tanner: What? {So confused... poor guy}

Me: That's just ridiculous!!!

Tanner: Wait... {Really confused...}

Me: I would never really ask you to to that. I just wanted to see what you'd say!

Tanner: {still a bit confused} So you don't want me to change my name...?

Me: Nope.

You see that!!! He loves me enough to change his name! ...That's a LOT! {We look back on that story now and laugh! Good 'ol Tanner Burnham}

Yeah, he loves me a lot! I guess it's a good thing it's not a contest, because then everyone else would feel bad... haha. Tanner, You're amazing! I love you!

Yeah... Pretty sure that was a bit on the sappy side...