16 Years Ago

Dear Husband,


16 years ago, on April 21st. I found myself in Norfolk Virginia visiting you. You were still in the Navy. You said again, you wanted to do it for the extra money and insurance, and we would do a formal one later.

In the bedroom of the rented run down house you shared with sometimes 2 and sometimes up to 7 other Navy guys, I got dressed in my new dress. It was white, both sleeves off the shoulder, it had huge colorful tropical flowers on it.

You got dressed in your dress blues. We asked for directions to the court house in Norfolk. No family, no nobody there, we were going to take a taxi.

When your three closest friends in the Navy surprised us. They were outside, all in their dress blues, waiting to take us in Pat's big purple clunker of a car. They drove us to the court house. Keith showed up with a small bunch of flowers, and handed them to me. I gave a shy smile. I had only met these three guys 4 days previous.

You and I went inside and filled out all the paperwork, and walked down a long hallway to a room. The Justice's name was Rufus. I will never forget the little short, very old, balding, thick glasses man that had a voice and demeanor of the kindest preacher.

Your three friends followed us in. Rufus said, I'm sorry, these rooms are so small only family can come in. At which point Rick said "We are their family, besides we are in the wedding party"

Rufus looked at us weird, you nodded and smiled. As we stood up in front of him, he asked if we had rings. I took off my engagement ring, because we hadn't even bought wedding rings yet. I handed it to you so you could put it back on my finger.

Rick announced that he was the best man, Keith announced he was the maid of honor and Pat announced that he was the flower girl. Rufus smiled and nodded with understanding.

We were both so nervous and sweating, he even gave us a couple nice bible verses. In all of 10 minutes it was over, and we had to finalize the paperwork. We were married. We had done it. We had completely pissed our families off too. It was hell on earth informing both of our families afterwords that we were married.

Yes I came home 5 days later, and continued to plan our "big" wedding. We had a proper preacher, the proper flower girl, and ring bearer, the white dress, the suit, the dinner and dancing after, as we renewed our vows.

But I will never ever forget, those three kind young men, that dressed up to the hilt, after just barely meeting me. That stated they were our family and in our wedding party. That took us out to eat later, and all went to sleep on the ship that night to give us the house to ourselves. We never asked them, they had huge hearts. They made April 21st very special for me and for you.

And even though it was hard to leave you, and the parents were very pissed off at us for a long time. I would still do it all over again in a heart beat.

My Dear Husband!!! I love you more today than yesterday! I still get a thrill and butterflies as you walk in the door after work every day!! I'm excited when you call me just because. Snuggling with you is still the best thing in the world.

I love the son you helped us get, that we struggled so hard for. I love how dedicated you were to the process. How much you supported me through everything, and how we have made the most beautiful and most loved creature on the planet.

I love how you have been my rock and stood by me through so much. It started with the death of my two best friends Star and Buck. It went through three surgeries, tons of infertility, losing a job, losing some friends, losing my sister to another state, and finally losing my mom. You have never been more strong than when I have needed you. You have been strong enough to take care of me, and make the boogey man go away, and gentle enough to hold me and sob with me when I'm at my lowest. You have given me the privilege to be with you on your hard times. Finding out horrid things from the past, and still standing strong at your side, being with you through two surgeries and one air evac out of town.

And now you stand by me and help me and love me through all this I'm going through now. You have made arrangements to help or find help for me when I need it. You've taken over alot of the physical burden, and you still love and long for me. It can not make a woman feel more special or more loved than when their husband, lusts after them at their complete lowest.

I'm looking forward to another 16 years, and hope I still remember Rufus, Rick, Keith and Pat. They will forever be locked away in a special place in my heart. A place that sealed us onto this path of walking together through all of lifes obsticals. And yes in our case it's more like riding crazy rapids on a shit river. But it's been one hell of a ride, and full of love and laughter. I don't think I could ask for a better man.

And until god creates a man that doesn't fart and laugh about it, or that it doesn't smell bad enough to clear the room of even the animals, then I am convinced I have one of the few bestest estest men in the entire world.

I love you with everything I have, More than you will ever know, and always and forever!!!

Your Wife