Twenty-Two Years and Counting

This morning, Hubby greeted me with a dozen roses.  We’re celebrating 22 years of marriage.

Our married life got off to a rough start, but luckily we both have a decent sense of humor.  We spent our honeymoon in South Dakota - both of us love the west.  The first night we camped in the Badlands, I was sure we were going to die.  The winds howled.  The sides of our tent were billowing in on us, hitting us in the head as we sat there playing cards, waiting out the storm.  I was convinced the tent was either going to collapse, or be torn from its’ stakes and blown like a tumbleweed across the land, with us wrapped upside.

A few days later, we camped in the Black Hills.  Hubby wanted to visit the Reptile Gardens, me - not so much.  We made a deal:  I would go to the Reptile Gardens if he would go horseback riding.  So, we went to the Reptile Gardens.  They herded us into a two-story domed building, and into a little hallway that led into a center room open to the top.  In the hallway was a penguin exhibit.  Then we hit the doorway to the center room.  Just inside, propped against a large boulder, was a wooden sign.

WARNING Snake Crossing

I stopped, causing a pileup behind me. “I’m not going in there.” Hubby reassured me that there couldn’t be snakes loose. Reluctantly, I continued on the sidewalk weaving through the room.  Suddenly, I spied a snake hanging from a tree. I shoved a little old lady out of my way and ran from the room. Hubby strolled out a few minutes later, laughing. Laughing. He said I should have seen the look on the old lady’s face as I went by. Apparently she hadn’t realized there were snakes loose either but she wasted no time following me. I couldn’t get past the fact that I was scared to death, crying my eyes out, and he was laughing. This marriage was not off to a good start.

Our visit to Custer State Park didn’t go much better. We both like to hike, but a dot-to-dot trail with knee-high weeds was not my idea of a trail. It didn’t help that rangers had handed us pamphlets when we entered the park warning about rattlesnakes. Again, I was terrified. I couldn’t see what I was stepping on, but I wasn’t willing to be left behind either. I bawled and stomped behind him, hoping those snakes would be more afraid of me than I was of them. Strike two for Hubby.

Luckily, our married life improved after that. Twenty-two years and two kids later, we’re still happy. It’s the little things that count. We talk often. We enjoy doing things together, on our own, or with our own friends. He’s a Cub fan rooting against my Cardinals, but I’ll forgive him. Every once in awhile, another snake interrupts our lives and Hubby steps in to be my hero. I’d be lost without him.

Happy Anniversary, Hubby!