28 Reasons after 28 Years

Amazing to think that 28 years ago today we woke up in a studio apartment in Phoenix, Arizona.  I walked the couple of miles to work, arriving just before the 6:00am start time, punched my time card to get my $4.75 an hour started for the day.  At noon I left work early, walked home, took a shower and put on my best (and only) slacks and button-down shirt.  Midori and I then walked to the bus stop and took the bus downtown to the Maricopa County Courthouse.   Mom and Dad happened to be in Scottsdale for a horse show, so they joined us at the courthouse along with our friend George.  After Dad paid the $25 for the marriage license we waited around until the justice of the peace, who looked suspiciously like Burl Ives, greeted us in his chambers and pronounced us man and wife (just me and Midori...not Mom, Dad or George).

Now hear I am celebrating our anniversary in Afghanistan for the second year in a row (last year I was here on the site survey).  Midori put out the rule not to get her anything since I am terrible at buying stuff online and spend large amounts of money on things that look pretty cool in the picture but cost large amounts of money.  So rather than break the rule, I decided to give Midori the following...Happy Anniversary Midori!

After 28 Years

The 28 Things I Love About You

1.   Your beautiful smile that lights up a room and steals my heart
2.   Your patience
3.   The way you look at new things with sparkling eyes and child-like wonder
4.   While I was gone for so many years you managed to raise three amazing kids
5.   The way your skin smells…it smells like, home, warmth, comfort, love
6.   You always support me whether it is a Navy League dinner or a staff get together you allow me to drag you to events you are not necessarily comfortable going to
7.   No matter what room we are in or how many people are in it, you are always the most stunningly beautiful woman in the room
8.   I would not have achieved professional success in the Navy without you
9.  You buy my clothes and usually get it right
10. When you don’t get it right you recognize it and tell me to stop wearing it (because I will wear it until you tell me to stop)
11. You are an amazing cook
12. I feel that you are proud of me and that gets me through each day more than you know
13. For the most part we have a similar outlook on life
14. For the parts of life we don’t necessarily match, you tolerate my outlook (back to the patience thing)
15. You are so very good to your parents.  Even though you live across the ocean from them you have done more for them than anyone else in their lives
16. Your gifts are always perfect
17. You tolerate my gifts…better yet you tell me not to buy you gifts
18. Your body.  Whereas I have bounced up and down in weight (50 here, 50 there) you continue to look amazing
19. You are more beautiful today than when I first met you and you were gorgeous back then
20. You care about your friends
21. Although you claim to not have a ‘religion’ you are the most spiritual person I know
22. You cry at sappy movies…and don’t give me a hard time when I do too
23. You have tolerated my singing to the radio in the car for the last 28 years
24. You love our dogs and cats
25. Your laugh
26. You are good to my family
27. You are kind and so unconditionally thoughtful as you do things for me and the kids, planning events or buying things thinking about what would make us happy…
28. You truly are my best friend

Here's to 28 more years...I love you Midori.

H