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Sunday, July 3, 2011

Happy Anniversary!

Don't we look young?  And thin?
Well, we were!  Little did we know that
18 years later, we'd be the parents of
eight, and happier than ever.
Staying married for any amount of time these days is cause for celebration.  It's tough out here, and creating a lasting partnership where both people feel happy, respected and valued is a challenge.  I suspect it always has been.

Today, July 3, is our eighteenth wedding anniversary and, in my eyes, that's a good reason to be happy.  Especially when you consider that we've been married for almost half of each of our lives.  My wife has now known me longer than she didn't know me.  To me, that's remarkable.  I am not sure I could stand me for that long!

When we were married, it's fair to say that the odds were probably against us.  Considering all of the factors in play eighteen years ago, I wouldn't blame anyone for suspecting that things might not last.  But, they would have been underestimating a few things.  First, there's that little thing called love.  I know, people always say that you can't live on love alone.  But, it's a good start.  Next comes determination.  Over eighteen years you can imagine there have been a few, shall we say, challenging periods.  But, when you really consider things, it's the challenges that bring you closer together as time goes on.  Shared experiences, children, loyalty, trust...  all of these things develop over time and, thankfully, we have them all in pretty full measure.

Perhaps one of the greatest things of all is friendship.  I can honestly say that there's not another person in the world I'd rather be with...  each and every moment of the day.  I'm not making this up!  I do not get tired of being with my wife.  There's no place I'd rather go without her, nothing I'd rather do without her, even if it's just sitting and staring at a wall.  If she's there, I'm happier.  Over the past few months, I've been at home virtually all of the time.  It's been the best time of my life so far, largely because we are together all the time. 

When I am sick, just to be near her is all I need to feel just a bit better.  When I am sad, she's the one who will make me feel happier.  We also laugh, a lot.  Amazingly, she thinks I am funny and when I'm not, she won't hesitate to tell me.  She also believes in my abilities and talents far, far more than I do.  How wonderful is that?

You won't find many people who are more suited to each other.  Our tastes, our interests, our goals and values - they are virtually identical.  And, where they are different, we are both willing and interested in new ideas and points of view.

I know that, despite the title of this blog, I am rarely as dapper as I'd like to be (OK, almost never...).  But, after eighteen years, I think my wife is the dreamiest of them all.

2 comments:

  1. Happy Anniversary Jake and Melissa!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Simply lovely things to say and notice about one's wife! I especially liked the part about the face powder!

    ReplyDelete