Has It Really Been Almost Thirty Years?

I was twenty eight when I met Tim. I had me some wild twenties, I'll be the first to admit but in my defense was at least smart enough to know it was better to do it then than to do it later... when I may actually have responsibilities.

I met Tim at Johnny's Pizza where I worked. After our first date, it was a given. Hello Soul Mate.

We simply had fun and did everything together, with friends and family (incredibly enough both sides) and just seemed right after about a month; maybe even less than a month to never be able to think about your life without this person in it and simply just know you never will.

Heck, we got married less than two years later.

It's 2015 and I still love him, even more now for marrying me when I had that (now obvious) stupid hair cut. He'd better love me for marrying him when he wore a mullet on his head and a cheap Casio on his wrist.

Obviously we were a match made in Heaven. He rarely spoke a word but that was okay. I always knew what he was gonna say anyway and usually made it sound a lot funnier when I said it. (another reason I love him, he hasn't tried to kill me once, bless his heart)

The first twenty years were the smoothest sailing years of our lives. The only bad thing I can think of that ever happened to us is when my diddy died from the West Nile Virus.

Then just as suddenly; absolutely almost everything that could go wrong, went wrong. Then it kept going wrong again and again and again.

For years...

Tim lost his job, a really good job. I lost a job I had for almost fourteen years.

He couldn't find a good job, looked relentlessly for almost two years.

I'm a waitress, I can always find a job, and did.

I'm going to tell you one honest fact about a marriage.

After a couple of years struggling like we have never struggled nor want to again (although  now obviously know can) begins to tear apart the closeness of a marriage and flood it with distanced , unspoken resentment.

I'm gonna be brutally honest now.

I don't know who it was harder on...him or me!? I think it may be a tie.

At least we survived. That's something right there!

He's half a country away with a great job and I'm here at home with the same.

God knew we needed a break. He gave us both breaks.

I made the first sacrifice working like a speed freak for almost three years.

Tim 's now made the ultimate sacrifice. He's a thousand miles away, providing nicely for the family he has here.

People just don't listen to the vows in their marriage anymore. We've upheld and been through more of these promises than you could ever want to imagine.

I think I'll buy Tim a new Casio watch for our twenty fifth wedding anniversary.

I walked out of work a week or two ago and saw this rainbow. It was magnificent, it was awesome and the calm after a storm

Our marriage is a rainbow.

We're not at the end of our rainbow, but closer to than from. It's been great, it's been tough and sometimes got ugly but I know me and I know (often speak for) Tim.

We both signed up for it. Neither of us saw a shotgun pointed at us and after almost thirty years for some crazy reason still couldn't imagine not being married to him (and hopefully him to me).

Anybody know of a great deal on an airline ticket from ATL to DFW and then to Lubbock?

Happy Twenty Fifth Wedding Anniversary Timbo!

Til next time... Mrs. Tim Cotton