Gerald & Alyscia

My Dearest Alyscia,

Fifteen years. It all started at the University of Illinois — two people who found something real before they even knew what hit them. I fell for you fast, baby. Before we even got to week three, I already knew. You were the one. We became friends, then best friends, then inseparable. From the moment we became official, there was no looking back.

Being your husband is not just a role I carry — it is the greatest honor of my life. Every morning I wake up grateful that I get to walk this journey beside you. You have given me three of the most amazing gifts I could ever receive — Gianna, Alanna, and Trey. They are living proof of our love, and watching them grow fills me with a joy I can't put into words.

I see you every single day pouring yourself into our children with a devotion that moves me. The way you wake up early to prepare their meals, get them dressed and ready, drive them to school. The way you meticulously care about their feelings and their thoughts. The way you prepare their lunches with so much love. The way you are so intentional with Trey — shaping him into the young man you see him becoming, nurturing all of his potential. And for Gianna and Alanna — you are showing them every day what a strong, brilliant, loving woman looks like. You are a phenomenal mom.

And then I see you building Altara Heights, leading teams, commanding rooms, and shaping leaders — and I am in awe all over again. You are a force, baby. The way you carry vision and execute with excellence inspires me more than you know. The world is better because of the businesswoman you are.

We have not had an easy road. We have walked through the pain of losing my dad. We pushed through grad school and navigated job losses together. More recently, we have faced the weight of financial stress — the kind that tests everything. But we are still here. We are crawling together through the fire, and that is what makes this love real. We didn't run. We held on. We held on to each other and to our faith, and God has been faithful even when the path was dark.

Our faith is the bedrock beneath everything. It is the compass that keeps us grounded and the grace that keeps us growing. I love praying with you. I love building a family rooted in something eternal. I love that we keep choosing each other — through every trial, through every triumph.

And I want you to know — I see the effort and the thought you have been pouring into me lately. I notice. I feel it. And I am so deeply grateful. You make me want to be better every day.

Beyond all of that, I just love being with you. The passion we share, the dreams we chase, the quiet moments and the loud ones. You are my best friend, my partner, my desire, and my home. I choose you — today, tomorrow, and for every year God gives us.