Six months have passed since Reiko and I officially tied the knot in the presence of our friends and family, and it’s been one heck of an adventure ever since. To mark this special occasion, I thought that it would be nice to share with the world something I did for Reiko during our reception: The Second Proposal.

Well … technically, it was the fifth proposal, because I had asked Reiko to marry me four times before the wedding … but after the ceremony and while standing with her on the stairs, in witness of every guest that could make it, I asked her to marry me once again.

My sweet Reiko,
On our wedding day, I think of all the reasons
I am blessed to be your husband:

You are the joy of my life.
You are everything I ever wanted in a woman.
My heart soars every time I see you.
Just the sound of your voice brings me pleasure.
I never get enough of you.

When I’m with you I feel happy, complete, confident, strong,
everything a man wants to feel.
You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.

I’m a better person when I’m around you.
You bring out good parts of me I didn’t even know I had.
You inspire me to be the best I can be.
I’m better for knowing you, better for loving you.

You’re so easy to love.
You brighten my life in so many ways.
When you’re not with me, I miss you.
It feels like we were meant for each other.
It means so much to me to have you by my side.

I can’t find words to say
how intense my feelings are for you.
You thrill me beyond description.
I didn’t know what happiness was till I met you.

You’re my serenity, my comforter,
a peaceful refuge from the outside world.
No one else knows me like you do.
I share things with you I’ve never shared before,
and you use the things you discover about me
to do things that make me happy.
I am so grateful for that.
I love you; I trust you; I am totally open to you.

Everything that’s man in me
responds to the woman in you
And as we become husband and wife,
There will never be anyone else for me,
My wife, my love, my life.

So I ask you with all humility,
Reiko, will you again marry me?

The first six months passed by pretty quick, and I’m looking forward to the next half-dozen.

Anyone know a perfect place to relax during Golden Week in Japan where a young couple celebrating their first anniversary won’t be over-run by throngs of intrusive tourists? I’m thinking some place like Takayama might be out of the way enough … but they seem to be enjoying a little more tourism as of late.

Feel free to check out some of the wedding photos, too!