October 4, 1996. My first date with my wife. I was thirty and she was only 19. I was working at a bookstore and used to try to follow her, keeping my eye on her as she perused the stacks, hoping that I was not too obvious. On campus, and even sometimes in town, we would run across each other, and pretend not to be stalking each other. I guess we each married our stalkers, as we like to joke about it, but it's been ten years now and we have three absolutely beautiful children and are each others best friends. I'm not going anywhere and she still lets me hang around so I guess we are in it for the long haul.

I love my wife with a passion that I cannot describe and have from the first time we saw each other. Few people get to live with their true soul mates, and I am one. I owe everything that I have become to this woman I call my wife and best friend, and all I can do is hope that we have many more decades together before we are called back to where we came from. Of course I'll be in Depends by then and if she still takes care of me then - well...

Anyway, I love you Liss, even more with each day, and I thank you for the beautiful family that you have given me and for giving me back my confidence, my self-esteem, and the knowledge that there are truly good, honest, loving people in this world.