Fourteen Years Ago Today...

Fourteen years ago I was over my brother Charles' small three bedroom house, vacuuming my small black Daihatsu Charade in preparation for the big evening. While getting the car all cleaned up the rubber gasket around my windshield suddenly tore loose on one side. With little time to fix it correctly, I used the well used tool of duct tape to rescue me.

About the same time, Dea, my fiancé, was about to receive twelve long stem roses. Twelve days before I sent her one long stem rose. On the second day I sent her two bottles of wine. On the third day I sent her a balloon with three words, I Love You. On the fourth day I gave her a small globe, representing the four corners of the earth. On the fifth day I gave her star earrings, each with five points, representing the heavens. On the sixth day I gave her a six-pack of her favorite beer. On the seventh day I gave her a ship in a bottle, representing the seven seas. On the eighth day I gave her a basket with enough items for eight soothing baths. On the ninth day I gave her a doll of a baby, representing nine months of pregnancy. On the tenth day I gave her a calendar, because we had been together for 10 months. On the eleventh day I gave her a picture of me... because, let’s face it, I'm better than a 10. And on the twelfth day, I gave her twelve long stem roses.

I called it the Twelve Days of Marriage.

Later that evening, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, around six in the evening, my beautiful wife met me at the altar to become my wife in our Wedding Mass. Eleven months later our daughter, Dorothea was born. Twelve days later we celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Four years later our son, Gabriel, was born. We've changed houses, locations and jobs, but my family has been with me for the whole ride. And steering our course is my wife, who's love of God, love of her faith and constant drive for self improvement in every way has been an infinite source of inspiration to me.

Fourteen years ago today my life changed in ways I never could have imagined. I have never been so happy, so fulfilled and so loved as I am today... thanks to my soul mate, my wife.

I love you, Dea.