20 years ago today I married the perfect guy for me. That is not to say that he is perfect because no one is, but I mean it wholeheartedly when I say that Dale is perfect for me.
How is he perfect for me? I’m about to tell you.
He’s perfect for me because he loves me all the time. He loves me when I’m happy and excited but he loves me equally when I’m cranky and tired. He loves me when things are going perfectly and he loves me when everything is falling apart. In fact, I’d venture to say that I feel his love most keenly when things are difficult. I mean, it’s easy to be romantic and sweet when it’s smooth sailing but to still be romantic and sweet, to still feel and express profound love when things are at their worst is really what it’s all about.
He’s perfect for me because he makes me laugh. If you know Dale personally – and a bunch of you do – you probably also know that his jokes are corny and often really dumb. It’s not those jokes that I’m talking about when I say he makes me laugh – although I do have a few favorites that do indeed make me laugh. It’s the other stuff, the goofy faces and voices, the quips and comments, the stories he tells, that make me laugh. And – equally important – he makes me laugh at myself. He has this ability to take a really tense or difficult moment and turn it around for me and make it funny. Or at least not so serious.
He’s perfect for me because he works hard. I tease him because he’s slow and he wanders from project to project but the reality is that he gets up early every morning and goes and drives that school bus. He comes home in the middle of the day and he does chores like laundry and home repairs. He paints and wallpapers and mows the lawn and shovels the snow and brings in firewood and cleans the bathroom and changes the cat litter. He takes my car for the annual inspection sticker and he brings in the mail and he empties the dishwasher. He is always doing something to make our home a better place, to make my life easier, and I appreciate his hard work so so much. And, perhaps best of all, he never ever complains.
He’s perfect for me because he’s a wonderful father and grandfather. He’s generous and kind and smart. He’s handsome and he has long hair and he’s just a little bit of a rebel.
Finally, he’s perfect for me because he sings. He sings when he’s doing the chores and he sings when he comes in the door. He sings when he drives the car, he sings in my ear when we dance, he sings all the time. And it’s beautiful and fun and it fills my heart with joy.
And maybe that’s the bottom line of this whole relationship we have – he fills my heart with joy. He makes me a better person than I am. He rocks my world every single day and I can’t imagine my life without him because he is perfect for me.
Happy 20th Anniversary, Dale. Thanks for being perfect for me. I hope I’m perfect for you, too.
Love this, thank you. And the photo of the whole family is lovely.
Congratulations! It is both the good times & the hard that bind us together in the most meaningful ways. Wishing you both many more years together.
Happy Anniversary to you and Dale!
Happy anniversary, you two! Any guy who takes a car for inspection AND changes the cat box AND sings to you is, indeed, a keeper!
Absolutely perfect! Congratulations to you and Dale and I wish you many more years of health, happiness, and love together!
You forgot one thing, and perhaps you are not even aware of this – but the joy you and Dale have is shared with others. Yes, even here as a “blog friend” your joy is shared often, freely, and well, joyfully! Happy Anniversary to both of you! I wish you unending days of joy and love! XO
What a lovely post and a beautiful testament to a wonderful marriage! Happy Anniversary!
Congratulations to you both!
Wonderful post. Happy Anniversary!!!
Happy anniversary to you both! Such lovely things you said in your post.
Happy anniversary! May you have many joyous and healthy years together!
What a lovely post–cheers to another twenty (or more) years!
Beautiful. You’re a lucky girl and he’s a lucky man.
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary to you both! Carole, this is just such an accurate and lovely sentiment. My husband says that to me, that I am perfect for him, and when he says it, I feel so loved it is often overwhelming. So, I imagine that this is the perfect gift for Dale. I’m so glad you found one another!
aw…verklempt! Happy Anniversary, Carole & Dale!!
Congratulations and love to you both! How wonderful you’ve been through the years together. May there be many, many, many more!!!!! xoxox
Oh lovely-happy anniversary! Here’s to many many more too.
Congratulatioons! What lovely sentiments you shared. I love the “perfect for me”. That’s what Jack is to me, certainly not a perfect person, but absolutely perfect for me. I just never thought of it in exactly those words before.
Happy Anniversary!! I’m late, but I know you’re still celebrating (everyday!). xoxo