Yes, we sang to each other while my dad watched...

My dearest Checkered,

Do you remember that night so many years ago when we took your boat across the lake? Remember how my parents were here from Kentucky and my aunt and uncle were here from Florida and you wanted to make a good impression? Remember how the waves kicked up just as you were trying to tie the boat to the dock at the restaurant? Remember how you lost your footing and fell into the lake? Remember how we laughed (my aunt and I might have laughed hysterically, but my parents were much more concerned about your safety.) Remember how you had to put on old sweats and a t-shirt you found in the boat and had to eat wearing soaking wet shoes? Remember how you laughed at yourself and were entirely gracious?

That was the night I realized that you would be the most wonderful husband in the whole world. Seventeen years later, you have proven that to be true again and again and again.

Happy early, early anniversary!

What Love Means

As we watched the news the other night, I was horrified by a story. A mother who suffers a long history of serious mental illness was being charged with torturing her children. Not just abuse, but torture. The husband/father was interviewed. He was obviously brokenhearted at losing his children and tried to explain that when his wife was on her meds, she was a loving, wonderful mother. "She's so sick," he sobbed, "And now I've lost my children, too."

I issued some invective against the husband/father for his blind love of his wife.

My husband turned to me and quietly asked, "Would you want me to stop loving you just because you got sick?"

I was rendered speechless at the depth of Checkered's compassion and love.