Today, I leave my meandering ways to talk about somebody very special to me. Within a few hours of this posting, my beautiful spouse will be turning 50. The big 5-0. Half a century. 5 decades – and any other way in which you can think of to say it. Now before anyone chastises me for letting out her age, my love is unlike so many of her gender, she owns her age. She loves, okay not sure about love, but she is fine with her age. What makes it even better is that she doesn’t look anything close to her age. She still gets carded at grocery stores and not by people trying to make her feel better. I have had people ask if I robbed the cradle. While I may not have done that by numbers, I sure did it by looks. I fear what will happen when we both turn 80. People may accuse her of being a gold-digger. My wife makes 50 look sexy. Young ladies could only be so lucky to have what she has now.
So today, tomorrow, and every day after that, I will be celebrating my wife. The only difference is that today I share her with the world so that the rest of you may celebrate her. She is a woman like no other woman I have ever met. I am truly fortunate that God, fate, whatever you believe in, brought us together. I am thankful for that each and every day.
Each and every day, I watch this thing of beauty give her all. She works hard. More importantly she cares about her students. She gets frustrated when students are not living up to their potential. She could just as easily watch the grades start to go down and do nothing, but that is not her way. She challenges her students to live up to expectations that, for many, have never been asked of them. She doesn’t do this so that they can fail – she does it because she knows to what level they can actually work. Like so many others in her profession, her work does not end at the bell. She is home planning, grading, and communicating. She was a role model for me when, at her suggestion, I entered into education.
She gave me a push when I was struggling to find meaning in this world. She saw in me what others saw, but she talked me through the barriers I had put into place. I would not be where I am today without her advice, support, and love. However, the really great thing about it is that she still left the choice to me. She did not demand; she opened my eyes.
The other part that I love about her is that she does not NEED me. That is not to say she doesn’t love me; she does – no questions asked. But, and this may be due to us meeting so late in life, she knows who she is. She did not need another person to fill a void or complete her. Instead, she accepted a person to share her life and love with, and I am that fortunate person. I know if I am called home first, she will be able to carry on due to her strength.
I mentioned that she cares for her students. Well, another reason I celebrate her is because she takes that care of her students and multiplies it by 10,000 for her family. I watched her as she had to deal with her mother’s illness. I spoke with her as she flew to be with her. I listened to her voice on the day that her mom went home. She hurt, but she cared about how the others were doing. She, along with her brothers, were there for her dad and still is today. She shows the same care and love to my mom and family as she helps out in different areas. I know, I know, readers are saying that is what family is supposed to do. I can tell you that is not the case all the time.
Finally, this knock-out is a mom. I watch her with our daughter and it just makes me love her all the more. Some of my favorite times are those occasions where I can sit and watch them interact. The laughter and joy I hear from them just puts me in a place that is indescribable. I have a video on YouTube where the two of them are singing, “At Grandma’s Place.” They never really get through the song because they are both cracking up. That is a video I will be playing for years to come. She is a fantastic mom.
I know, again, many of those reading will probably say, “So what. This is what I think of my wife or husband.” If you can then fantastic – be thankful, and I am very happy that you have the same thing that we have. Celebrate that person along with me as I celebrate my foxy mama.
50 years ago she entered the world in the same way most of us do, crying, kicking, and screaming. She has not stopped moving since. She is constantly on the go getting things done, taking care of people, being a wife and mom, and watching out for her friends. The years have not slowed her down one bit. And I love her more and more each and every day.
So thank you for joining me today. Now, please join me in celebrating my best friend, my partner, my wife. Happy Birthday, Nancy Martin. Thank you for all you have done, do, and will do. May the coming year bring you many more smiles than tears.
Love your husband who loves you today, tomorrow, and forever.
If you would like to send her a wish, you can find her on my Facebook page.