Tim, my "Big Hunk",
This year I've thought about how much we've been through together since we met 30 years ago...we of course had already met years before, but then I was a mere child (12 or so) and you were a man (or so you thought). Then you went in to the Air Force, and yet when your brother would talk about you or read me a letter from you, I had a certain feeling...a certain knowing. When I was 16 and you came home on leave, you came up and said, "Hi, do you remember me" and my heart raced inside my chest. If you only knew. And I was so jealous because you had your 'girlfriend' with you.
But then you got out of the service a little early...just in time for the Valentine's Banquet. I made sure your brother invited you, and I sat across from you basking in your smiles at me. Of course you had something entirely different in mind, thinking I'd make a good date for your brother. But I had other plans.
Since then, we've gotten married, had two kids, and now have three grandchildren. The years have flown by and it doesn't seem possible that it was 30 years ago. We've been through so much together, good and bad. But as I sit here thinking back on our years together, I think one of the major reasons we've gotten through it all is because first of all we love God and I believe he put us together, and then secondly, we have been such good friends. You've been my best friend since that Valentine's Banquet 30 years ago. Being best friends helped us to get through:
1. Your criticism of my fried eggs every morning...first it was too much salt, then the next day you informed me you didn't like pepper, then the third day, it was you didn't like soft yolks, the the forth day, you liked them cooked till they were like rubber with the yolk all mixed in. By the fifth day, I gave up and told you to make them yourself. You just decided to not eat breakfast. Then I decided to make breakfast for you as a treat 25 years later, and lo and behold, you didn't like the way I cooked them. You wanted the yolk runny and the egg over easy. By then I didn't know how to crack an egg without breaking the yolk anymore. And by then you liked a lot of salt, and pepper was okay.
2. So I went from not cooking breakfast, to not making lunches, to not cooking dinner. Now you know how to make tuna sandwiches, even though it takes you an hour, and you nuke popcorn, and are okay with McDonalds food. And you still love me.
3. Now you have to do a lot of the housework, I can no longer work to help pay the bills, and can't always go places we'd like to go. But you are still there....old faithful.
I still can't park my car in the garage...what's it been now, maybe 10 times since we've been married the garage has been cleaned and I've been able to park it in there only to have more junk brought in and put right in the spot where my car goes. I am resigned to always park outside now. I still spend your money, I still don't cook much, and menopause has made me snippy a lot of days, but we are still hanging in there.
You said it well when you told some friends that we were 'good dysfunctional together'. Something like that. We've grown together, shared together, and when it all comes down to it, we've been pretty great together considering all the odds that were against us. I think when God chose you for me, he knew what he was doing. He knew I'd need you in my life, and you've needed me as well. We've been good together while dysfunctional, and we're getting even better together as we've been getting healthier.
So as I reflect back over the years, I am still thankful you are in my life. I can't imagine life without you and hope I never have to find out what it would be like. Friendship was there when the hot flames of love and infatuation turned into a soft glowing fire. Friendship is there when at times the romance is lacking (although we do pretty good at keeping it going). Friendship is there even when our bodies are sagging. Friendship is there no matter what we go through. I've always known I can count on you to be there for me, and I'm here for you, too. I love you. Thank you for sharing your life with me.
all my love
annie
