So you may have read how my delectable spousal unit and I met. What a heartwarming tale it is!

Meeting someone you are bananas about (and who reciprocates the affection) doesn’t happen every day, but it does occur. It is a bit more scarce for that affection to actually last. In our almost 17 years together, we have watched many of our friends’s marriages go belly up. We have had our share of scary times, but managed to weather them and be all the stronger–both individually and as a couple.

How the bloody sod have we accomplished this? It goes like this:

We agree to disagree. It is that simple. We pretty much agree on most things, but not on some. Whoopy de do0!

I have a life separate from him, and vice versa. We have different passions  and are free to pursue them. He and I do our best to make quality time for each other no matter how busy we are. I am the soccer widow during many months, but I love the free time to have fun with my friends or myself while he is being a screaming soccer fan.

Both of us take responsibility for ourselves and our self care. We go to our counselor when the need arises, eat well and exercise, and best of all, we have fun. LOTS OF IT! This silly ass shoe horn designed to resemble a happy snake has provided us with more entertainment. In this photo, I put Bertram (I even named it!) in bed, committed his likeness to my phone, and sent it to Jim randomly because I knew it would make him laugh.

When the going gets rough, we go it together. We have each other’s backs.

We made the pact to grow together, and not apart. And we have kept it.

He treats me like my ass lays gold eggs, and I strive to do the same for him.

I never try to change him, and he lets me be me. Good for him, because he would have a hell of a time trying to change me! I am independent as a hog on ice and believe in marching to the beat of my own little Annie drum.

That’s it in a nutshell!