I Love You More. By Josh and Shannon Kenyon

I don't know if I believe in soul mates.
At least not in the traditional sense.

Beginning of this year, I read a book that changed my perspective on life. My brother bought me a copy of Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert for Christmas of last year.

It is the story of a recent divorcee who travels the world in search of herself and through her inspirational journey learns to indulge, inspire and interconnect the two. There was a line in it that I will never forget:

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. "
~eat, pray, love by: Elizabeth Gilbert (pg 149)

Josh is not my soul mate. He is my soul compliment. He is that balance I need everyday in my life to both smack me awake and also coddle me to sleep. I am sure of it.

Why? Because of our perfect anniversary gifts.

I had been toiling for weeks on what to get him and decided it would be best if we both do something from the heart. No money spent. Something creative and meaningful.

As always, he knew right away what he was going to do and had it finished before I even thought of starting mine.

What can I do to make him understand how deeply I love him and how much I appreciate all he has done for me? What could possibly be done to show him how much he is a part of me? And most importantly, how can I OUTDO whatever he has already made me....? ;)

And then I wrote a blog. And then I wrote in my journal. And then I wrote a letter to my 7 year old sister. AND THEN I REALIZED--- HOLY CRAP! I AM A WRITER!

So I knew. I would sit down and write him a story. An innocent story of our love.

Now, mind you, I have done children's books before for friends and family as gifts, but I always had Josh's help on the illustration and design part. Now I would be doing it all by myself just for him! Oooo I was so excited! He would be so proud of me to know that I worked so hard to make him the perfect little book with pictures and everything!

I got right to working. It just started flowing out of me. So perfect, so powerful, so beautiful! I had never written anything better in my life. Ever.

I thought about it for a day and then got to work on the printing. I chose the perfect typeface, Archer Book (he is a graphic designer so this is a VERY important step), laid it out in perfect page format, chose the perfect colors, and clicked "Print."

Shit! Nothing is happening! SHIT!

I reach for the phone to ask for his help.

Ahhhh! I can't call him! I have to figure this out on my own! And damn it, time is running out! I have spent all day making stupid hard boiled eggs that look like a blissfully married couple, that I have no time for troubleshooting! AHHHHHHH!

"Print." Now the pages are printing, but it is printing up crooked on every page. The book ended up being a disaster. All this time, I was even sort of relieved that the printing turned out so bad, because to be honest, I just can't illustrate well enough to match the beautiful writing I did. It gave me a good excuse to figure out a better way to show him what he means to me through illustration. I just needed to stall a bit.

Well, plan B. I wrapped up the incomplete version (which is something us virgos- the ultimate perfectionists- never do) and decided to tell him it was my rough manuscript that I would finish with his help. Turns out I couldn't do it without him, anyway.

I apologize all day to him through texts:

ME: I'm so sorry. I just wanted your gift to be perfect.

Josh: I'll love it no matter what babe. I know its from your heart.

I gave it to him at dinner and I apologize all through the night for giving him an incomplete gift... We both cry at the beauty of the writing and how happy we are to have made it through the first year of married life. But he just gives me a coy smile all through dinner and says, "Just wait 'til you see mine."

We arrive home and he presents me with the perfect compliment to my book.

A book. No writing, no plot. A small handmade picture book. Illustrations by Josh Kenyon.

I wrote a book that was missing pictures. He illustrated a book that was missing words.

Not soul mates. Soul Compliments.

Here is our Anniversary book, in each of their parts:

I Love You More.

By: Shannon Kenyon


A teenage boy turns to his teenage girl and says these simple words:

I love you more than anything,
More than everything, I love you.


She gives him a coy smile,
Are you sure? Is that true?

I love you, yes, I do.

More than the Troubadour and all the rock shows?
More than Del Taco red sauce burritos?
More than movies and pagers and OMD?
More than lunch with the guys and Blunts and Beats?
More than cruisin’ the town in the Punk Rock Van?
Even more than a portrait of Billy Corgan?

Yes, baby girl.

I love you more than anything,
More than everything, I love you.


Really, can that be?

I love you, can’t you see?

More than sunny days and Tem’s Bar-B-Que?
More than singing and dancing with crazy JuJu?
More than the smell of the beach and the view of the bay?
More than volleyball games at the park all day?
More than the closeness of family at only a drive?
Even more than the courthouse on the 405?

Of course, my dear.

I love you more than anything,
More than everything, I love you.


Are you positive, is this right?

I love you, I do, my wife.

More than the beautiful bride coming down the isle?
More than hearing my vows with a constant smile?
More than bright orange lilies and candles aglow?
More than husband and wife dancing to “Yellow?”
More than family and friends with speeches to make?
Even more than lemon raspberry cake?

Yes, sweet wife of mine.

I love you more than anything,
More than everything, I love you.


Seriously? Are you sure?

I love you, darling.... A-dur!

More than the squeak of the slow-moving “L”?
More than a great city with a chocolate smell?
More than Goldstar and Jerry’s and a huge silver bean?
More than a six-way crosswalk in the hipster scene?
More than one hundred and ten stories of Sears?
Even more than thousands of beers?

Yep. Sure do, honey.

I love you more than anything,
More than everything, I love you.


Now do you believe I will love you forever?
More than anything, sweet Shannon, now it’s my turn to be clever.

I will love you until you have found your way.
And make others happy as you make me every day.
I will love you when we settle in a new home.
I will love you when our bellies have grown.
I will love you when we bring life into this world.
And even change diapers—

Wait- hahaha, that is just too funny…

Anyway,
I will love you until we are tired and old.
I will love you forever, as I have told…

I love you more than anything,
More than everything, I love you.


……Oh yea, well, I love you MORE!

As a virgo perfectionist, I like to have things just a certain way. But something tells me it was way more "perfect" as an incomplete "half," to the complimentary "whole."