My love

    Yesterday was my wonderful husbands birthday. I have had the privilege to be with him for the last 9. I feel so blessed to have met such a wonderful person. We have had bad times, and good, we have gone through so much together. I can't imagine the life I'd have without him in it. The person I would be. He is my center. I love him with all of my heart and all want for him is his happiness.

    I remember the first time I saw him. I thought he was gorgeous. So did MANY other girls. All of the freshmen girls called him the Hot Senior. My friend who introduced us called him "The Bod". Ever since that day I would walk from my eighth period class to the bus a different way just to watch him playing catch with his friends. My heart always raced (and still does) when I was near him. We never talked in school. My friend who introduced us said he was her boyfriend, or one of them. Later I found out he never was. I am glad, though, that we didn't date in high school. He was a teen boy and his mind really was only on one thing back then. I don't know if we would have worked out back then without the experiences that formed us into who we were when we first dated.

    Our first kiss was completely peer pressured, I'm glad it was though. My sister and her husband (who was his best friend) invited me to their Halloween party. I couldn't decide if I wanted to go or not but I had to go. My hair was short and spiky and a beautiful blue back, almost completely coated in glitter. I was very afraid of his rejection. I had had my heart broken several times that year by one guy. Even though I was afraid, he was worth the possible rejection. I wore my favorite evening gown from homecoming the year before. It was a navy blue halter dress with multicolored glitter all over it and a tiny train. It was so form fitting I felt so beautiful. I don't know why I didn't dress up as anything but I just wanted to be beautiful in case he was there. I showed up and he was there he was a little drunk. He was dressed as a zombie motorcyclist. I met him in the hall and talked to him. He was upset he and his girlfriend had broken up. It was so hard to feign sympathy when inside I felt like jumping for joy. We ended up hanging out inside my sisters room with her and her husband watching movies. They knew I liked him. They urged us to snuggle and cuddle. Through out the night they kept nagging us to kiss. I felt so embarrassed. Eventually we caved and kissed so they'd leave us alone. If only I had known then he liked me too. Maybe I wouldn't have been so scared or shy. I remember sitting in front of him with his arms wrapped around me, watching movies. Leaning on him. This guy I had had a crush on for over a year. The Hot Senior, The Bod. I can barely remember what movies we watched, I couldn't hear or think over my heart beating so fast and hard and my praying he couldn't feel it, too. It was an amazing night and two days later he invited me over to watch The Matrix with him. After the movie he asked me to be his girlfriend. Obviously I said yes. The rest is history.

    Like I said earlier we have had our good times and our bad. But I love him more than anything. My heart still beats frantically when I see him. Hear his voice. He truly is an amazing man. I can't wait to spent the next 60+ birthdays with him. God willing.

Happy birthday James. You're the best husband I could have ever hoped for.

I love you  more each day.