Our Crazy Anniversary...Bread of Life section

In an antique store over fifteen years ago, my husband Ace proposed to me over an ivory lace and mesh wedding dress. It was soon to be officially the union of two crazy souls. For the record, he dropped one of his contact lenses because he was shaking so badly the morning of our wedding. This tragedy ended with him wearing his old thick "back-up" glasses. At first, when he showed up to take me to the ceremony...I almost started laughing. Anyone who knows my husband also knows his crazy sense of humor. We call it Aceism. I thought he was totally pulling my leg with the giant glasses. Good thing I actually like him. On Wednesday this week, it will officially be 15 years.

We had a very brief engagement and courtship. From the day we met until the day we married, it was just under six months. Do you blame me ladies? Look at him. He looks like he's carved out of cream cheese. Absolutely beautiful...in a manly kind of way.

Yet, if you had asked me then if I would still be married, I would have said yes. Ace was special. It wasn't just the dimples and the Superman hair either.

I was just twenty-one years old when we made our vow. Young, sweet...super crazy. I had only a small idea of what a commitment I was getting into. Yet, I knew that I was a one man woman. Ace was, is, and will always be a totally devoted spouse. I'm thankful for that. I know it's rare.

What makes a good marriage?

"The supreme happiness of life is in the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, in spite of ourselves."--Victor Hugo

Ace doesn't expect me to be perfect. He doesn't expect me to look like a movie star or have perfect grammar. He doesn't even expect that his chef-wife cook dinner every night. The one thing I have learned from living with him around, is that I am perfectly adored by one man on earth. In spite of myself. I can only hope that our love will continue to grow every day. It is truly a gift. Thank you Ace...for buying me that beautiful old lace wedding gown. As he handed the money to the cashier, I asked him, "Is it official then?" Looking into those steel blue eyes of his I saw one tiny tear trickle down. "Stephanie...it was official the day we met." (Swoon ladies...)

I'm glad I said yes.
The best marriage advice I ever received goes like this,
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, 13.

If I can have perfect Christ-like love for this man I call Ace...and he can have that love for me, there isn't anything we can't face. I'm so thankful for that.

There you go.