38 Reasons

Today, Jeannie and I will celebrate our 38th anniversary. On June 14, 1980, Jeannie and I exchanged our vows. I was in love with her before we got married, and every day since, I have fallen deeper in love with her. So, for our 38th anniversary, I thought I’d give you 38 reasons why I love her.

1. She has the prettiest brown eyes I’ve ever seen.
2. She’s one of the few people that can make me laugh until coffee comes out of my nose.
3. She’s a great mother to my sons.
4. She’s a great grandmother to our granddaughters.
5. Everyone likes me better when they meet her.
6. She learned to say, “Roll, Tide, Roll.”
7. She cooks a homemade lasagna and a homemade cheesecake every year for my birthday.
8. She loved my parents, and now, she does a great job taking care of my mom.
9. She raised our sons to take care of themselves. Both of our sons are neat freaks. They didn’t get that from me.
10. She crinkles her nose like a little girl when she laughs.
11. She prays for me.
12. She won’t take any junk from me.
13. She’s a fierce protector of our sons.
14. She thinks our granddaughters are “dress up dolls” and buys countless outfits for them. Then, she’ll dress and undress each granddaughter just to see “how she looks in the outfit.”
15. When she’s angry her eyes turn coal black.
16. She looks great in jeans.
17. She looks great all dressed up.
18. She hums when she’s doing chores around the house.
19. She tries to make me eat right.
20. She modeled for our boys the kind of woman they should look for. Each of our sons married girls who had characteristics they liked best about their mom.
21. She’s my best friend. Life isn’t as much fun if she’s not there to share it with me.
22. She indulges my quirks.
23. She has her own view of the world that challenges my assumptions about “how things should be.”
24. She’s kind.
25. She insists that I be kind.
26. She brings beauty into my life.
27. She takes care of our money.
28. She makes sure we stay in contact with our friends.
29. She knows when I need to be quiet and protects my time.
30. She makes sure I get enough rest.
31. She holds me accountable on my calendar planning and won’t let me over commit.
32. She loves and ministers to the wives of our pastoral team.
33. Our boys still call her when they’re sick.
34. She brings color to my wardrobe. She won’t tolerate jeans and black polo shirts.
35. She’s brutally honest.
36. She loves the beach.
37. She loves to read.
38. She keeps me fascinated.

Okay, I could go on and on, but I’ll stop there. Let me add this before I leave: the biggest mistake of my life was not marrying Jeannie sooner. I really can’t imagine my life without her. Happy Anniversary, Jeannie! I love you!