HERO'S don't always wear a cape!

Dear (MY) Vinnie,

An open letter, in the form of a poem,

For the man in my (our) life, the HERO in our home!

You always loved my chest - my heart,

Believing in my abilities - telling me Amanda, "create your art!"

"I know what you are capable of - I can't accept less,"

We push each other to be better, be our absolute best!

"I am stuck being the breadwinner, raise our kids, chase your dream,

Their happiness, your happiness, is the only reward I need to redeem."

Oh my, Vinnie - I didn't fall in love with your handsome face,

Instead, it was your infectious smile - how with you I felt safe.

Immediately attached, I 100% knew,

A life without you in it was something I just couldn't do!

Our friendship came naturally - our connection intense,

We knew we were breaking the rules - we would cause offense.

The vulnerability in your eyes, your quiet strength,

Could we be together without judgment, at what cost - what length?

Our trajectory was quick, house - marriage - IVF - baby,

I never once had a doubt there was never a maybe!

We learned something new from each other each day,

Sometimes we compromised great, other times we refused to obey.

Tit for tat and power struggles,

The same smartass pride when we handle our troubles.

We challenged each other in the most frustratingly beautiful way,

You are more stubborn than I, with me usually saying okay.

We chased our dreams, hands interlocked,

Holding on as tight as we could each time our world rocked.

Our wedding was simple, fun and fast,

The hard work came after, healing each others' past.

Bachelor to husband then father in less than a year,

Never once stumbling or showing fear!

We lost our son before we could see his face,

And, when they told us Arya was sick, we could only brace.

Our world was upside down, our hearts broken,

Emotionally exhausted, tongue raw, and eyes were swollen.

We lived through tragedies meant to tear the strongest apart,

We wouldn't give up, we knew better - we are too smart!

Finding each other and making it as we did,

Still surprises us both but confirms our love is sacred.

Buckling down to chase our dreams,

Through smiling, crying, silence, and sometimes screams.

Defeated, exhausted, and burnt out,

Reminding each other we are at our best together, no doubt!

Special needs, co-parenting, addiction, and financially broken,

So many silent nights and words left unspoken.

We held on tight and made it through,

You believed in me, just like I had believed in you!

Our daughters are vibrant, happy, and intense,

Our house is loud and chaotic but it beats silence.

I hate housework it's your pet peeve,

I know I can keep up on it all, I can achieve.

Our dogs are high maintenance - they take a toil,

It's kinda our fault though, we tend to spoil!

We beat the odds and are now stable and thriving,

Not suffering, sad/scared - no longer barely surviving.

We have been blessed and I am writing to you to say,

Thank you EVERYTHING, from day 1 to today!

Hero's are not always dressed up with a cape,

They often are the adhesive to the family, the glue, and the tape.

Your dedication, your growth, your loyalty, your honor,

An amazing man, a fantastic husband, but by far the BEST FATHER!

Thank you for being our HERO, for all that you do!

Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed, we LOVE and APPRECIATE You!

With so much love,

Your Wifey AND Brianna, Sylvanna, Mila

Diesel and Lola