13 is a Wonderful Number.

13 years ago today, I was scared out of my mind. And so were you. We knew that we were wildly in *lust* with one another ... with enough love mixed in to make it plausible that we could last a lifetime. But we worried whether it would be enough ... as we were such different people ... from different backgrounds ... with different outlooks on life. All we truly knew was that we wanted to give it a shot - to create a life together that was completely of our own making. There were folks on both sides of the aisle who thought we might be better off seeking out some other relationships ... as we were just 21 ... and had been together since Junior year of high school. Could we really make it having never really dated others? We didn't know either.

But as we stood before one another to make our vows, something felt right. You stared at me in awe of my beauty on that day. I stood before you in awe of your devotion and your tenderness. And we both knew that the commitment we were making to one another was amazing. We honored it and knew how important it was to live up to.

Surely we have made our mistakes along the way --- these past thirteen years --- but we are no longer scared about the commitment we made so long ago. Time has shown us that we can weather any storm ... that we are more in "love" than in "lust" (though lust is still good:) and that our differences complement one another.

I look back and realize that on that day I could never have realized how great a decision I had made in marrying you. On that day, I could not have realized what a dedicated provider you are, what an honorable man you would become, what an incredible father you would turn out to be .... or that you would still give me butterflies whenever you entered a room. But I must have sensed something --- because I knew you were the one. That I always knew. From the moment you kissed me on April 15th, 1989 .... I knew there was something about you that had the potential to last a lifetime. There was something about you that challenged me yet completed me at the same time. You felt / feel like home.

I love you Halis. Happy Anniversary. And may we give one another goosebumps and butterflies for the remainder of this lifetime and throughout the rest.

~ Jodi