Today is my wedding anniversary. It’s Brian’s too, but since I am writing the blog, I get first dibs. Isn’t that the way marriage is suppose to be? So, I have been with one person over half my life. That is a really long time. Looking back, I am amazed at the journey. Let me just say, marriage is not for the faint of heart. And, relax, I am not going to be gushing about how great our partnership is or how wonderful our life is because that isn’t reality. Spoiler alert…..it isn’t perfect.

When you start a marriage with a liquid foundation aka alcoholism, it can provide some tricky maneuvering. Add a child with a disability to the mix and it creates a chemical reaction of sorts. We weathered it. It was messy. We separated for a time when the boys were young. Both of us trying to find a way to make it work. Maybe we were a little lost ourselves.

We figured out a long ago, that we were the perfect match because no one else would put up with either of us. True story. We balance our crazy well as partners. Our smiles on social media don’t tell the whole story. Marriage isn’t a fairy tale. I am not as disillusioned as I was when I said, “I do” twenty-seven years ago. Unrealistic expectations were my unfortunate companion. Today, I am wiser. More fluid in my ability to be a partner and not a dictator. (Still working on that aspect. I like to be in charge.) I am not perfect. Brian is not perfect. But, this imperfect union has resulted in two amazing human beings that are a beautiful extension of ourselves.

So, we made it twenty-seven years. I am not in prison for murder. I married him in three separate ceremonies, so I suppose that means I will keep him. He is one of the good ones and the ideal person to handle my delightful ray of sunshine personality.