#EndGame

I met the love of my life back in school when we rode the same bus home of an evening. She was a young girl of ten and I was a trouble making fifteen year old. We began to sit with each other and share headphones as we listened to Smash Mouth and discussed bands we liked, shows we watched, and shared other school related chit chat. Over time a friendship began to develop and after a while some other feelings started to emerge. I knew that given our age difference and my reputation at the time that a relationship wasn't likely but I had to ask and was shot down flat. We kept sitting together and talking even when she got mad at me for getting into a fight and ruining her white dress with my blood. Eventually my time at school came to an end and we drifted off our separate ways each to explore life and its downfalls and shortcomings.

I ended up in an almost twenty year marriage that gave me three wonderful children but eventually fell apart and she ended up with two wonderful children as well with all five being boys. When she found out my previous marriage was over she made her move by commenting on a Facebook post I made about a mail order bride simply putting "Darn guess I missed my chance". What she didn't realize is while she had been following me over the years and keeping up with my life she had always been the one that I couldn't get out of my mind and I jumped at the chance. I noticed her comment while hiking out of service at the time and was unable to respond when I finally made it back to civilization I messaged and we began what would quickly blossom into a love story rivaling that of the most recognizable playwright.

We began talking every spare moment we had and often until the early morning with me trying hard not to let on just how I felt for fear of chasing her off by coming on too strong. We agreed to meet up in secret and as she was leaving I caught her off guard, spun her around at the door, and stole the first kiss. I decided to let her know how I felt even if it meant her running away and went for broke with the L word telling her that I loved her and to be honest I think I always had. As things became more serious I was introduced to the children and we began making trips to Blackwater Falls, Hovatter's Zoo, and Cool Springs where her oldest son Randy after telling her she needed to marry me made a wish in a well that me and his mother would be married. When we got back from Blackwater Falls John refused to leave saying they wanted to spend the night and we ended up getting an air mattress and spending our first night together with a leaky air mattress on a concrete floor while the kids slept in the bed.

We dated for a while without either of us actually asking the other out spending time together exploring local places and at a local hotel until we moved in together and I proposed to her on the steps of Olsen Tower. I'd promised her I wouldn't move too fast but I knew it was right and the feelings I feel for her are genuine so I had to at least attempt to make her my wife. She said yes and we decided to get married close to Halloween in a small ceremony at the St George church. Our wedding party marched in to the theme from the Adams Family with my beautiful soon to be bride taking her walk to Canon in D. We said our vows and the woman I love more than life itself took my last name.

I couldn't image my life without her in it. No matter what I do she always has my back pushing me to be me, she's always there for me, and I'd do anything for her. I wake up in the morning thinking about her and I go to bed at night thinking how lucky I am to have her beside me. For me she is that one woman who has single handedly restored my faith in God just by her very existence and I'm happy to be living every day with her by my side.