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The two people that I love the most have one magical thing in common: excited, infectious giggling.

There is an otherworldly joy in sharing your life and culture with someone who is genuinely excited to experience it. I nearly cried crossing the state line, but my excitement seemed like nothing compared to the giant's. He was, as I told his mother, "kak malenkiy rebyonok v roszhectvenskoe utro". Something bright and sparkly lights up inside my soul every time he breaks into excited "Russlish" over things that I always found mundane, like someone in an old ranch truck returning the "1-finger wave" on a lonely mountain road or having to wait for cattle to get out of the way so we can continue our trek to the foothills to go shooting with my brother. It makes me excited in a way that I can't remember feeling before. Even the wind seems oddly welcoming.

I think real, healthy love has a lot in common with Wyoming life: it's steady, quiet, and easygoing, no crazy ups and downs. There is no "Midwest Nice". You can do whatever you like and be whatever you want as long you adhere to our cultural values of honesty, integrity, and hard work. Everything goes at a healthy pace, and while there are some rocks and hills to navigate, everything is out in the open. There are some storms, but most of them blowover before they become destructive, and if there is damage, you pull together to fix it. You protect your loved ones, and you ensure that no one crosses defined boundaries without permission. Occasionally, you may find some surprises or an unexpected pit, but you can always find a way out of them again, especially if you work together. Overall, it's stable, calm, and beautiful.

As I sit here, listening to the waves and the occasional whistle of fishingline somewhere to my right, I can't help but smile, enjoying the company and the way the wind feels in my hair, even though I know it will be painful to untangle later.

I sighed and layed back against the boat ramp. It's not what I expected, but right now, I have everything that I ever wanted, and my life is beautiful.

It's good to be home.