10 years

Well, more like 9.

Today is my wedding anniversary. There is a strange paradox in that day seeming like so very long ago, but also like it just happend recently. Lee and I both joke that we wish it was just our 10th already because it just seems more like us. We do have lots to show for it, 5 kids and a love deeper and more mature than either of us ever anticipated.

We have ups and downs and plateaus just like every other marriage. I think our ups are beating our downs at this time.

We were good friends before we dated and that friendship has been so important in keeping us going, in the same direction. Lee really gets the credit for having the cahones to jump start our friendship into something more. He just laid it out to me one night and said hey, let's date! I think we would be great together and so let's go for it. I was very reluctant and surprised he even felt that way about me. I kind of saw him as a brother gasp! I tried to let him down easy and gave some lamo excuses like we shouldn't ruin our friendship yadda yadda and he seemed to buy it. Then I was turning away, trying to make a smooth exit from this embarrasing conversation, he made a move that changed my life and his forever. I remember it so clearly, it was like a movie the way he reached out for my shoulder and drew me back towards him. He lowered his head and gave me an amazing, fireworks and music kiss. Then he pulled back and softly said "damn, I knew you would be a good kisser"

I began to reconsider my hasty relegation of Lee to the hopeless brother status. In fact I think I said something clever like "well, maybe we should go on a few dates. Just to see..." But don't cheer for the happy couple yet, because I was still wary and selfish enough to want to cover my bases and I added that I wouldn't want us to be exclusive or anything, just causally date. Yes, bitchy, I know. But luckily Lee was still in his Hollywood Leading Man persona and said "I am not going to see anyone else. Tracy, you date whoever you want, I'll be here. I know you'll come back to me."

I KNOW! What a stud!! So I went on a couple of half hearted dates, but I finally gave in and told him he was right and fine I will be his girlfriend and not date anyone else. So after like 2 months of dating we were discussing marriage. Both of us, we just knew it was right. That was late '94 and we were finally married on June 14th, 1997.

Every once in a while I still thank him for making me date him. Truly, it is my honor to be his wife and I will be forever grateful he stuck his neck out there for us.