We’ve been together for more than 15 years when you include my courting of her. She doesn’t necessarily like the word “courting”. It flows from me naturally because I’m old-fashioned and more hopeful romantic than hopeless. Not to mention that “pursuing” someone doesn’t exactly conjure up positive images. Yes, I courted her. And somehow I got out of my own way to avoid screwing it up. I realize there’s still time to do that, but I promise I’ll do everything I can not to mess it up.
She’s as beautiful as the day I took notice of her when a friend said to me, “What about those eyebrows?” My wife has perfect eyebrows. She takes great pride in everything, but especially her eyebrows. And they captivated me along with everything else. I fell for her immediately and like Groundhog Day I experience those same feelings every morning.
When we first started “officially” dating we ended every phone call with “Love you.” We still do to this day. I hope it never stops and I promise to do a better job of showing it than just saying it.
We’ve never had a fight, but we argue about the origin of our first date. To me it was a friend’s wedding, our first actual night together. To her that night was a chance to dance and have a few drinks with a mutual friend. Our friend’s sister unknowingly asked how long we had been together. She got a big kick out of that. All I could think of was how much I would love to have a real answer to that.
When a man courts a woman he’s nervous about pretty much everything. I remember sitting in a bookstore, translating English to French to ask her on a date in a letter (an actual handwritten note to go in an envelope with a stamp on it, not email). It may have impressed her, but would’ve likely ended relations between the U.S. and France. Somehow she decided to stick with me through an Elvis impersonator contest near the airport (we laughed constantly with a great meal afterwards in Midtown), ballroom dance lessons (I was the only male in the group so I don’t know how I didn’t nail it with all of the practice I had as the stand-in), the 2000 World Series (with me hiding behind the sofa as the Yankees rallied in the ninth and won Game 1 in extra innings). That likely prepared her for football season and the Steelers.
She’s put up with my coffee (actually bought a coffee pot for her apartment and she can’t stand the smell of coffee) and my attention to detail (some call it OCD). In my defense I’ve inherited two cats. Clearly she made the larger sacrifices.
She understood and accepted my dear, late Mother and would only cackle about her when she knew I was going to do it too. When I got up enough gumption to ask for her hand in marriage, to make me the happiest man on Earth, during a vacation in Mexico, I was shocked she said yes. And that’s after her father happily gave his approval.
She has given birth to two beautiful, wonderful children. She does great work. I had very little to do with it. She is an incredible Mother who often has to play the role of father. I promise to try harder to lessen that last role. She’s a dedicated worker who appreciates great ethics. She is the best of everything and makes our family and this world a better place every day.
I understand Warner Brothers is reprising the role of Wonder Woman in 2016 in the Batman vs. Superman movie. That makes me laugh. Oh, I’ll watch the movie. We all grew up with super heroes, but my incredible wife is Wonder Woman. Flying an invisible jet with a golden truth lasso is easy. Work a stressful job, rear two kids, decorate every holiday and put up with an OCD husband. Exactly. Lynda Carter would turn that role down in a heartbeat. But my wonderful wife makes it look easy or is it the wine? No, she’s just amazing!
So, Happy Birthday, sweetheart. I would do everything the same way all over again except maybe not the wedding proposal. I’m afraid you would think about it a little longer and have a different answer. And that makes me promise to work even harder to be a better man, a better husband, a better father, a better person...for you.
