“Twenty-two hours and our war beginsOur war of limbsand lipsand hands...The best part of finallyNot calling retreat?The showers above usRaining down on our feetWhile the bombs are exploding and the guns fire their rounds. Before the two of us collapse to the ground. Before the battle, before the war...You need to knowI'd go fifty-nine more.Whatever it takes to let you win.I'd retreat all overand overagain.”

“And while I could sit here and feel sorry for myself, wondering why all of this happened to me..I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to wish for a perfect life. The things that knock you down in life are tests, forcing you to make a choice between giving in and remaining on the ground or wiping the dirt off and standing up even taller than you did before you were knocked down. I'm choosing to stand taller. I'll probably get kicked down a few more times before this life is through with me, but I can guarantee you I'll never stay on the ground.”

“Wife? Are you sure you're ready to not call retreat? Right now?"I'm butterflying positive.”

“...take it from someone who’s had it before…you don’t want to let it slip away. Fight for her.”

“The things that knock you down in life are tests, forcing you to make a choice between giving in and remaining on the ground or wiping the dirt off and standing up even taller than you did before you were knocked down. ”

“Sometimes two people need to fall apart to realize how much they need to fall back together."I take her hand and rest it between us, then stroke the back of it with my thumb. "Let's not fall apart again," I whisper.She looks me in the eyes. "Never.”

“Whatever connection we thought we had before this...it doesn't compare to this moment. No matter what happens between us in life, this moment has just merged pieces of our souls together. Well always have that, and in a way it's comforting to know.”