Kenny

Me 'n' my Sweetie

Thirty six years ago today, this man married me. God Bless His Heart. He had nooooo idea what he was getting himself into. Not only was he marrying a slightly spoiled "only child", he was also gaining a sizeable, highly "impassioned" and occasionally neurotic family, devoted to one another and, like it or not, a huge part of one anothers' lives. He got all of us …. the good, the bad AND the ugly. I, on the other hand, was marrying into the Cleaver family of 50's television. The Gray's were the epitome of the ideal family that everyone wanted to have. So imagine, if you can, the culture shock that must have sent him reeling once we were married.

I guess you could say that Kenny and I were among the few lucky ones. Too young to marry, naïve, and totally clueless as to the ingredients for a truly successful marriage, we blundered along and still managed to survive. Fortunately, our marriage has grown stronger with each passing year. God was surely watching over us and carrying us over all those bumps and hurdles in the road.

Out of the two of us, I have to say that I am the most blessed. I may not have recognized (or appreciated) it at the time, but I was marrying a man of immense integrity, kindness, generosity and the patience of Job himself! Never, I repeat, NEVER has there been a more patient and tolerant husband and father. Try living with me and our two boys for any length of time and you will be amazed at his restraint and fortitude! The man is a Saint.

And have I mentioned Unconditional Love??? While the "Control Freak' in me is constantly trying to tweak and improve on our two boys (only to make them even better, of course), he adores them exactly as they are: warts, farts and all. In his eyes, they are exactly as they should be and he is passionate about them.

I have no concern that our sons won't make great husbands, for they have a role model second to none. They have grown up with and observed their father through all kinds of situations and his example has taught them volumes about honesty, patience, compassion, and, most of all, about being an Excellent Husband. I know that my sons will treat their wives with the same love and respect they have seen their father treat me. And that, my friends, is his greatest gift to all three of us!

I have to say that even after thirty plus plus years, my heart still skips a beat whenever he walks through the door at the end of the day. I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that I get to have yet another day of absolute happiness and security, thanks to the man I married. He is truly my Soul Mate.

People are always asking me the secret to our "lengthy" marriage. So in honor of full disclosure, all I can honestly say is "Blind Luck". Kenny definitely gets all the credit for being an ideal husband and I am the lucky one.

So thank you, my sweet husband, for putting up with me all these years. You are a shining example of everything every husband SHOULD be. I love you forever. (But we're still gonna work on that wardrobe of yours AND your idea of humor….The Office really IS funny and farts really AREN'T)

Please don't ever get tired of me…

Leslie

(Now can we get a new puppy??)