Holly,

I wrote one of these last year, because it was something new that we were doing together, but this year feels different.

I feel at a loss.

I don’t even know where to start.

I’ll start where I admire you most; your consistent, personal growth in a field that requires vulnerability. The perception of your business – which you started, bootstrapped, and have run successfully for over three years now – is a perception of you. You are the business, and because of that, you are constantly making yourself vulnerable and taking risks with new experiences. And you’re crushing it.

Usually, when you’re so close to a person, you don’t notice marginal changes in their lifestyle, personality, etc, it just hits you one day. Not you. I have watched you grow and mature as an adult, a fiancè, a friend, and business owner, almost every single day. There are always new challenges and opportunities. You never fail to face them head on. You continue to surprise me and bring me genuine, belly-laugh joy every single day.

But onto us.

Where were we a year ago? Living in our 600sqft apartment. Not engaged. Stressed. We’d been together for so long and were so close but it felt like things needed a push. There were things missing; everything could be just a little better. You could have more space to work, we could feel a little more connected, we could be building a life rather than just living one. So we started laying bricks together.

I could list everything that we accomplished in the last year but I don’t have to. All that matters is the attribution. Everything I personally accomplished, everything we did as our little family, everything in the business, couldn’t have been done without the strength of the woman that you’ve grown into. You are constantly pushing to be better and for everything in your life to be better. You make me want to be better every single day. You are a driving force in the lives of so many people, and we’re so lucky to have you that way.

I love you. I love you more with every step in our journey.

Happy birthday.

AJ