October 9, 2004

It's been 4 years since Marty and I said our I do's. As cliche as it is, I truly did marry my best friend. He's the one I want to share everything with. Having moved away from family and friends, he's been the person that's been by my side through it all. I wasn't even the tiniest bit nervous on our wedding day. I was more than ready to marry such a wonderful man.

I am blessed to have Marty in my life. He has a heart of gold. Really. My family and his family all adore him. He is kind and gentle. There are so many things I love about him. I wish I had half his patience. He loves to learn and to teach. He gets excited about the little things in life. I love the way his eyes light up when I surprise him with a lemon meringue pie. He loves to make me happy. I love to make him happy. He doesn't ever need bigger and better things to be happy. I can tell he is right where he wants to be when we're together. I miss him when he's away. He gives the best hugs. I can feel in his hugs how deeply he cares for me.

Okay, now that I've wiped away the tears. I can't help myself. If anyone reads this that knows Marty in person, you know the kind of man he is. I wish I was better at putting my thoughts into words to explain it to those that don't know him. I am one lucky lady, that's for sure! My mom makes sure to tell me how fortunate I am to have him. I know it too.



Marty and I met March 2002. Carla, his sister, introduced us. He was on leave after a deployment. I worked with Carla at an insurance company back home. Our team sent Marty care packages with books, snacks, candy, etc. I also had my mom's fourth grade class write letters to him. He wanted to meet us all. He came by our work first. I was the last one to walk in. I looked up and he's in his Blues. Wow. We all chatted and looked at some pictures he brought.

Then it was off to my mom's school. He didn't want to go alone, so I volunteered to go with him. Um, no twisting of my arm needed! We talked the entire drive there. He met my mom's class and answered questions while I kept my cool off to the side. He took me back to work, again, talking the whole way back. I so didn't want him to take me back. We're both having a hard time remembering, but we think we went on our first date a few days later. Marty said we can say it was whenever we want, so that's when it was! I do think it's true though.

Marty started emailing me at work. Then at home. Then we got to know each other through instant messenger. That turned into phone calls. He came home when his nephew was born and we got to see each other again then. We were "just friends" still. Since he was in San Diego, he didn't want to get into anything serious. He wasn't sure where he was going. He was waiting on orders for flight engineer school. He ended up getting the orders and moving to Pensacola. He started coming home every other weekend then. We became closer, spending at least one evening together while he was home. We talked every day at lunch. We loved getting to know one another.

I give Marty so much trouble over not telling me sooner that he liked me. April 2003 was when he finally fessed up. Well, he just kissed me. No words needed. I think deep down, we both knew in the beginning we would end up together. We got along so well and had the same goals in life. I spent the next year travelling to Cherry Point and Little Rock to see him while he was going through training.

Marty proposed June 11, 2004. We were married a few months later. We've lived in Little Rock (AR), Cherry Point (NC), and now Fort Worth (TX). I could not be any happier sharing my life with him.

I look forward to bringing our son into our lives. I know Marty is going to be an amazing father to an amazing little boy.