Driving home the other night, I looked over at my wife as I have countless times in the past. Again, I realized how fortunate I am to be able to do so. She’s been there for nearly everything I can remember from my life.
I am not great at being romantic, but I try. I am not great at surprises, but I try. Heck, I’m not even sure I am great at paying enough attention, but I give it my best. I must be doing something right since I can still look over and see this beautiful women next to me.
We met when we were 17 years old. Two young goth kids with shared interests in music, clothes, and sense of humor that fell in love very quickly. We have been inseparable ever since.
I still remember the first few concerts (of the 100’s) that we have attended together. Sisters of Mercy at Irvine Meadows; luckily we had friends with cars as neither of us drove yet. Front 242 in Hollywood; first time we had driven alone to Los Angeles, and easily still the loudest concert either of us have attended. I thought I would be permanently deaf when we walked out of the venue.
Years later, I was lucky enough to convince her that we should be married. We had an amazing wedding attended by family and friends at our favorite restaurant.
I remember a comment that one of our friends made a few weeks after the wedding regarding our first dance:
“It was so intimate that I felt like I was intruding, the way you looked at one another.”
All we could do was smile.
We shared a number of years of marriage bliss. Concerts, having friends over, Comic Cons, horror conventions, and a couple trips to other parts of the country.
Our similar interests provided a solid foundation for our lasting relationship. Luckily we also have always had enough dissimilar interests to keep it interesting.
In 2003 we added an amazing little man to our little family. Trips to Disneyland quickly became a family favorite.
As the years progress, our weekends become a time of coaching soccer, being a team mom, and owning a minivan. Hacker Guild meetings, cleaning, and random adventures. Life changes.
Throughout all this, we still know how to party! Every year, on our favorite holiday, (the one we based our wedding date around to enable us to be in New Orleans for Halloween) she throws a wonderful party. As with anything that turns out well with the three of us, she is the driving force, I’m there to help.
She has never ceased to amaze me. I am in awe of how much she can accomplish, and will always be the first to tell you, any of our successes as a married couple, and as a family, are a direct result of her efforts. I’m just lucky to be able to have her call me husband.
This weekend we celebrate 17 years of marriage. Our vows to one another are now as old as we were when we first met. I can proudly say I have been married to my best friend for more than half my life.
I’m still a goof, she is still my constant reason to do my best.
