To my beautiful Angelica,

Happy Birthday, babe.

I wanted to take a moment today to tell you exactly what I see when I look at you. This birthday feels different than any other, because over these last few months, I have watched you step into your own incredible strength. You navigated the chaos, you held your boundaries, and you carved out a sanctuary that is finally, truly yours. Hearing you say that you actually look forward to going home now is the most beautiful thing in the world to me. You fought for that peace, and you deserve every single ounce of it.

I know that celebrating from across the country isn't how either of us wanted today to look, and it aches not to be there to pull you in close and celebrate you in person. But I want you to always remember that this distance is just the bridge we are building to get to our future. Every day I spend out here is a day I am working toward the life I envision for us. We are a team, and no matter how many miles are between Texas and Indiana right now, my heart is entirely anchored to you. You are never alone in this.

Since you are officially starting a brand-new chapter in your new place, I wanted to make sure you had some of your favorite stories to fill it with. I hope this gives you a quiet, safe space to just relax and get lost in a good book whenever you need to decompress.

But out of all the stories in the world, the one we are writing together is the one I cherish the most. I cannot wait to see what this next year brings for you, and for us.

I love you, and I am so incredibly proud to be yours.

Love always,

Jonathan

The best part is still unwritten.

A home filled with your favorite stories. A future we keep building toward. And one of our next pages is already waiting: on August 14, I’m taking you to Chicago. A little adventure for us, with all my love beside you every step of the way. Happy Birthday, Angelica.