Dave's Vows
My dear Anna, I can't believe just a decade ago we were chasing each other down the slopes of Squaw, bushwacking through the woods to Lake Tahoe, and making out aggressively after midnight downtown at Pastimes. Fast forward to today, we're standing here as we stand here in the radiant beauty of Sedona, it seems like the most beautiful parts of this earth continue to bear witness to our story. Serendipitously, I'm very thankful that we're not just celebrating a day of marriage; but rather an incredible full decade of us.
From the moment our paths crossed in Truckee, I felt an undeniable connection with you that has deepened immensely over time. Through the many peaks and valleys over the last 10 years, we've created a life together on our terms that is filled with so many cherished memories, inspiring adventures, and truly deep, heartfelt love. Together, we've laughed and cried more times than we care to count, built and said goodbye to family together, and exquisitely parented Gunnar and Maverick into submission. Now, we enter our newest journey as parents as we eagerly await the arrival of our baby girl.
Today, although we're missing the physical presence of our vast support network of family and friends, I feel it's important to acknowledge the love we have in our lives, and the sense of joy, gatitude, and blessings that continuously surround us. Our friend's and family's unwavering support has been an integral part of our foundation, and even from afar, we're reminded that the rest of our support system is here with us in spirit. We send our love and blessings to Anna's mother Viola, and ask her for her calming presence and guiding light today and always.
Anna, I promise to always give you the very best I have, to stand by you, to be your rock when the seas of life turn rough, and to always keep your heart, mind, and body safe. I vow to be your lifetime dance partner, your tasteful comedian, your adventure soigneur, and your eternal confidant. I hope to grow old, grey, and awesome with you, remembering that were just walking each other home. I commit to honoring, respecting, and loving your beautiful soul, cherishing every moment of this existence with you as we continue to build our lives together. And...as we anxiously await the birth of our new daughter, I promise to always give you both my all, to be the absolute best father I can be, and to provide for our family with the same love and passion I always have for you.
Our future is a vast ocean of possibilities that ebbs and flows like a beautiful uncharted set of currents we get to navigate together. I am truly so excited to take this next step and become a parent with you, and I believe we will do a phenomenal job giving our daughter the best life possible. Anna, you are everything I've ever wanted in a partner, this is our story, and as long as we're writing it together, it will be a beautiful expression of the human existence. Here's to us, to our past, present, and the many chapters yet to come in the illustrious story of Team Danna.
Anna's Vows
Dave, as I stand before you today, I am excited to take the next step in my commitment to you through marriage. My heart feels full knowing the man I am to marry so very intimately. You are a man of integrity, honesty, trust, and boundless compassion. You extend your kindness without reservation to both strangers and loved ones, showcasing a core aspect of your character that I not only deeply value but also respect immensely. For those fortunate enough to be close to you, experience the steadfastness of your unwavering love and witness the vulnerability and strength of wearing your heart openly on your sleeve. This beautiful quality of yours, not only captivates me but serves as a continuous source of inspiration in my life.
Upon meeting you and at first glance, I fell for your infectious smile and your enthusiasm while speaking of adventures yet to be had. But over the ten years, we have been together, amidst the ebb and flow of life, it is the dedication of your values and the depth of your spiritual and existential understanding of life that have tethered my soul to yours.
So much has happened in our ten years and life has tested our bond in more ways than one; both bad and good. Between moving seven times, starting new careers and facing a heartbreaking career letdown, working tirelessly to create a stable and secure life, learning of close family members' illnesses as well as my mother’s diagnosis, and moving through the deep sorrow and grief of her loss; meanwhile learning how to communicate more effectively throughout all of these moments posed its challenges that has only strengthened our love. In the end and thus far, every disappointment created more resilience, every tear only deepened our bond, and every laughter made our roots grow deeper. Some of my favorite casual memories are late-night laughs while in bed reflecting upon our days, I can recall so many nights with belly laughs that turned into happy tears. We both know your sense of humor has been a true lifesaver at times!
Dave, one of the core values we share is gratitude, and I am so thankful to have you as my partner to share this with because I truly believe strengthening this value will bring us more happiness, more peace, more compassion, and more love into our lives. we both know that life will be full of more hard times with illness, loss, and loved ones gone, but I confidently believe we will be there for each other’s side by side, ready and willing to help the other find the light amidst the darker days.
While I can’t promise you a perfect life or that I will be the perfect wife. …And I may not be able to promise you that I won’t leave trails around the house, worn socks between the couch cushions, or forget rice on the stove; I can promise I will always show up for you in ways that no one’s else will; I have your back, I promise. I promise to encourage you to grow in the ways that you personally desire. I promise to welcome all of the wonderful renditions of David James Abarta that will transpire over time. I promise to work on prioritizing us over work and the needs of others. I promise to always look for ways to work on myself and to be open to change. I promise to live more in the moment rather than the pain of the past. I promise to choose the life that we have created and are in the process of creating. While we have them, I promise to choose Gunnar, our adventurous companion, and Maverick, our mischievous little whirlwind tabby. I promise to be a hands-on, nurturing, and loving mother to your daughter or maybe even children.
David James Abarta, as we move into a new chapter, I vow to honor, cherish, and love you for all that you are and all that you help me to be. For in you, I’ve found not just love, but a partnership, an unparalleled friendship, and my favorite dance partner. I am honored to have the opportunity to call you my husband in this lifetime, you are so much more than I thought I would ever want or need.