Happy Anniversary Sweetheart!

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary. Thirteen years. Seems like 13 days, really. It's been a very good ride...and the end is nowhere in sight.

They haven't all been good days. We've had our share of downers, just like everybody. But it seems like we've had more than our share of up days, which is saying something in this world of immediate gratification and 50%+ divorce rates.

According to the pollsters, most couples, when they argue, argue about money. Kelly and I have never fought about money. Maybe I shouldn't say never, but it's only been a slight percentage of the total number of battles we've waged. We've fought, and fought hard. But it's never been about money. Rather, we argue about silly stuff like haircuts.

It's mostly been my fault, too. I have to admit it, sometimes I get a chip on my shoulder that just begs for knocking off. Kelly has almost always been very patient with me, though. I think she just looks at me like I'm a dope and moves on with life while I'm stuck in the mire of marital warfare.

When we got married, my mom and dad had been married for more than 40 years. Thinking that I could learn something from them, I asked for some advice. Without hesitation, dad said two words, "Immediate forgiveness." I think Kelly follows that counsel better than I do. I don't hold a grudge for long, but I do hold it. Kelly usually just goes on with life like she understands that life's too short to be stupid like that.

I still remember the first time I saw her. It was at Dominion Business School in the back hallway. She was going into the break room and I was going around the corner to my next class. We were both teaching there at the time, she nursing and I Math, Psych and English. I was flying paper airplanes through the hallways and she was doing venipuncture and the like.

She came around that corner with her rather large, red glasses and I felt the love bug flutter around my head and bite me clean on the neck. We held hands on our first date and I've loved her ever since.

The last 13 years have brought us a lot of joy and also our share of sorrow and pain. But for me, at least, the good has far outweighed the bad. I am married to the most beautiful and wonderful spouse in the world. I wish I could say the same for her. I mean, seriously. Look at us. What in the world was she thinking?