A fine and true romance...

He was by himself, sitting on a barstool, facing the dance floor. A friend introduced us. And I thought he was the most beautiful and charming man I had ever met. I don't remember what we talked about...I probably made some attempt at wit and stumbled over my words like I had a tendency to do.

He doesn't recall that meeting at all. Truth be told, that night almost sixteen years ago, I was fairly forgettable. Extra weight and a few bad relationships in my wake had left me lacking in self confidence. By that point in my life I was resigned to simply settle for Mr. Okay-And-Won't Be-Mean instead of holding out for Amazing. I was Outspoken, Opinionated and Independent. And I was convinced there was not a man alive who would live with me being all of the things that made me, well...Me. There had been ones in the past who said they would...in the beginning. But then they changed their minds and decided that instead of leaving, that they would attempt to change me. It never ended well.

That night in January, I walked back to the barracks having a chit chat with God. I asked Him why couldn't someone like that ever be interested in someone like me? Because that's the kind of man I could spend the rest of my life with. Little did I know that God had made that one amazing man just for me.

Today we celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary. It hasn't always been easy...but if marriage was easy, then the divorce rate wouldn't be as high. There have been times we were tempted to call it quits. But we didn't. Because we remembered back to the beginning and the storms we'd already weathered. We remembered that if any two people truly belonged together, it was he and I. I love him more than I ever thought possible and I feel cherished and loved in return...every single day.

I know our best years are ahead of us and I'm looking forward to spending the next 12...24...50 years with this man!