The Love of my Life

Hey, all you guys out there, you are probably not going to want to read through all this! The gals might be another story. Anyways this post today is dedicated to the one woman that has made my life what it is today....Wonderful!!

It is going on 17 years now. WOW! 17 freaking years!! Think about it!! A farm girl in Missouri met city boy from Oregon. Man talk about culture shock!! But, that southern accent and black skirt was all I could think about after we met for the first time. We met at a wiener roast. I ended up feeding my hot dog to the dog. And anybody that knows me, knows I don't usually get rid of any food!! You knocked my socks off!!

As you wrote me... I wish I could say we wrote each other but that would be a lie! I was not a very good boyfriend! Too interested in Basketball! What a moron! Yet there every 2 or 3 days was a letter from you!! Amazing!! Telling me all about yourself and your college classes, your goofy brothers, and other things I can't get into here. He! I should have realized then what a woman I was getting! And getting is right, you gave yourself to me, nothing held back, no reservations! Just open ended love! It made me love you even more!

This is where it gets interesting! Three months go by! And WHAMO!! Engaged!! 3 months??! how could it last!! We were married 5 months later, and so the saga began! You have been the most amazing partner (woman, I don't go for the same partner stuff) a man could ever hope for! your dedication to our marriage through thick and thin, I would put through richer or poorer but we've never been rich! Just poor and poorer! you have covered for me even when you new I was wrong! You have always had by back, never have I ever had to worry that you would do anything to hurt or embarrass me in public, on purpose! We have embarrassed each other many a time on accident though, and those are teh funny times!

Most of all though! I have seen you deal with loss of our son Matthew, going through the stages of loss and sadness with a grace that I could not muster! You gave of yourself during that time to make sure that I had someone to lean on and cry! You have done the most important of jobs that any woman could do. I know that in this lifetime it is very likely that we will see our first Woman president. But whoever that woman is, can't hold a candle to what you have done bringing up our children! The sacrifice you have done, to stay at home and do that job is amazing to me!!

You have moved from your beloved Missouri. I guess the saying is true. You can take the girl out of Missouri but you can't take Missouri out of the girl. You have held true to all of your marriage vows. Especially the one of going where I would go! Beside me not behind me! We have been through so much together, moved way to many times, and yet I am more in love with you than ever before! There is a reason that I say I would never marry again if you died *God Forbid* (little private joke). I just don't think I could ever find any one that would measure up!!

The southern accent is just about gone, but that black skirt,....Well some things are better said behind closed doors;} besides we never know who is going to read this! HA! Love ya babe!!!

p.s. I know the picture is crooked, it was meant that way!!