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# Lady K
- URL: https://clintbetts.com/lady-k/
- Published: 2026-09-19T17:49:40.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-19T21:29:43.000Z
- Description: The vows I spoke on September 18, 2026. The day I married Lady K.
- Author: Clint Betts
- Tags: #writing, Letters

When things get bad, head up to the mountains. A man can do some thinking in the hills. Maybe it’s the higher elevation, maybe it’s the lack of cell service, but it’s where the man in this love story could be found once valley life became too much to bear. 

I must confess, my dear family and friends, I use the word “man” loosely here. This particular man must call a proper tradesman if he needs something fixed around the house. A real man does no such thing; a better man could’ve avoided the mountains altogether. 

Mike Tyson prophesied that a punch in the face changes the best-laid plans. Of course, our barely-man couldn’t survive a light slap from a grade-school bully, which is likely why our story begins with him lost in the Uintas, searching for solace and understanding, knowing they’d never come.

There’s a certain spot in those hills. A special spot. Sacred, even. It’s where our barely-man went after his youngest son was born with tumors in his brain and heart; it’s where he went after his oldest son was diagnosed with stage-four cancer. It’s where he goes to mourn, to think, and to talk to God. You can cry up there; the quaking aspens and bluebirds don’t mind. Just don’t cry too much. [You don’t want the bluebirds turning yellow](https://clintbetts.com/like-kings-of-old/).

You see, at the time, our barely-man thought he was bona fide. He had an important-sounding job and the perceived adoration of strangers. Back then, he took such things to heart, convinced they mattered. He tied his identity to the opinions of people he barely knew. What do you expect of a barely-man?

If only he’d listened to Joni Mitchell, who sang in the [greatest song ever written](https://youtu.be/ko0d-BQLbvU?si=fmqZaDgmNUotSDoO&t=86&ref=clintbetts.com):

*But now, it's just another show* 
*And you leave 'em laughing when you go* 
*And if you care, don't let them know* 
*Don't give yourself away*

*Oh, but now, old friends, they're acting strange* 
*They shake their heads, they say that I've changed* 
*Well, something's lost, but something's gained* 
*In living every day*

At the height of his hubris, our barely-man collapsed, spending three weeks in the hospital, unsure whether he’d ever see that sacred spot in the Uintas again. Joni Mitchell’s words, “Something’s lost, but something’s gained,” were never far from his mind. What would he gain from so much loss?

I gained you, Kelli. 

I gained a partner and a soulmate. You’re the foundation of my heart, my life, and my future. I feel so honored and blessed to call you my wife from this day forward. We hacked our way through the thicket to get here, and in every step of that journey, your impenetrable character and gracious spirit kept us moving forward.

You nursed me back to health. You dropped everything, made a plan, and helped Parker beat cancer. You're the one Henry likes to watch movies with on Saturday nights. You're the one Ollie and Gracie turn to when they need something done and done right. You’re the one the dogs love most. 

I adore you. The kids adore you. The dogs adore you. Frankly, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for loving the kids. In a world of gray and chaos, you bring color and peace. Somehow, you turned a barely-man into a man who knows what matters, what’s worth fighting for, and what it means to live a successful life.

I knew I loved you the first time I took you to that sacred spot in the Uintas. Later, when I got the side-by-side stuck in the snow while racing up the mountain far too early in the season, you didn’t get mad or hold it over my head. You did what you always do: approached the situation with grace, figured out a plan, and loved without conditions.

As we huddled together in an emergency blanket, waiting to be rescued by actual men, I thought, “If she doesn’t break up with me over this, I’m going to marry this girl.” And today, in front of our family and friends, I get to do just that.

I promise to always love, respect, and cherish you. I can’t promise ice cream castles in the air or feather canyons everywhere, but I can promise to always be right by your side, facing the unknown together.

So, in the [words of Damien Rice](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2SbH6tFLOs&ref=clintbetts.com), come, let me love you. And then, color my gray and chaos as only you can. 

I’m yours today, tomorrow, and forever, my lovely Lady K.