A Story

Gather around guys and I'll tell you a story. A story of a quiet, shy girl and a funny, outgoing boy. Our story begins in the summer of 1987 (yes, I know, a long time ago). The girl was 13, with braces and the gawkiness of that age. The boy was 15, on a vacation to visit family. They met and hung out together. He kissed her best friend (the 14 year old blond who was as outgoing as our heroine was shy)-and our girl was sad to see him leave. Fast forward a few years, the girl is now 16 or so, the boy has graduated from high school, another vacation to visit his family. The girl is now a little more social, still quiet but she thinks she loves the boy. At that age everything is "love", isn't it? Moving on, the boy lives at the beach and occasionally comes to visit, but thinks that the girl doesn't like him, so they really don't see each other a lot. Fast forward another few years, the girl is now 20ish and the boy has again come for a visit. They get to hang out and have fun together, but the girl is wrapped up in someone else.

We're getting to the good part, hang on just a bit. Moving forward another 2 years, the girl is in a little house in Camden, praying for the first time in years for guidance, praying for someone to love her and her precious girl. The girl makes the decision to move on, to leave with her precious angel and hope for the best. An angel tells the girl, did you know that the boy is moving this way and he'll be here around Thanksgiving? No says the girl, but her heart is lightened a bit thinking that she her friend is coming and they can hang out together and the grown up girl can be, for just a moment, a girl. A few weeks, go by and the girl answers the phone and hears a welcome, warm voice asking if the boy can come and see her. The girl says yes. The boy knows what's happened with the girl, but it's just like all the times before, they talk like they've been together all this time. The girl is glad to have her friend to talk to, but then something changes. The grown up girl's feelings are changing back into something they've always been but different, stronger. When the grown up boy asks the grown up girl to marry him, she says yes and is happy for the first time in years.

Let's fast forward again, to this year and this place. The boy and girl are married and have added a precious boy to the family. The girl loves the boy more each day because of the things he does. He is a wonderful husband, always thinking of her before himself. He is a wonderful father, an example to the precious boy and the precious girl's example of what a husband should be. He is still funny, outgoing and just generally crazy (but in a good way). There have been 10 years now since the boy and girl were married, some bad times, but mostly good.

We've been through a lot, that boy and I. I love him more today than I did 20 years ago, 10 years ago or even yesterday. I see him as he teaches our son how to be a good man. I see him as he comforts our daughter better than I can. I see him laughing at me when I'm being silly or answering my questions or holding me while I cry. I love him so dearly, words cannot express it and my heart is full. So, happy anniversary my love, my heart, my answer to a prayer. I love you Michael.