Today is Our Anniversary

Today Russ and I have been married for 21 years.  We went to Ogunquit, Maine for our honeymoon and for several years went back to Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont for the beautiful fall foliage.  Many of the covered bridges were destroyed during the hurricanes and we haven't been back since then.  There are some beautiful places in New England, especially this time of the year.

Russ was with me every step of the way when my Daddy became sick back in 1999.  We raced to Booneville after he had experienced seizures on more than one occasion.  When he was moved to Tupelo on December 1st, he was there when the doctors told us that he had lung cancer and only a few months to live.

I watched him gently pick my Daddy up in his arms when Daddy had become what I called "my little Daddy".  He shaved his face with an electric razor because it was one of the only calming things for Daddy after the cancer had spread to the brain.  He lovingly took care of him and sat by his bedside with my Mother as Daddy drew his last breath because I was huddled in a corner in the room next door listening to his labored breathing and scared to see him die.  I had never experienced death before.

Last summer, Russ was with me again as we cleaned out and remodeled my mother's house so she could return to live there after her rehabilitation.  We were in and out of the hospital twice and I could not begin to even describe to you all of the things he did for her.  He spent the night in her room so I could get some sleep to try to help my fibromyalgia.  He installed a system for her to be able to let visitors in.  He installed a watering system for her flowers.  I couldn't have done it without him.  He supported me so I could support her.

When we received the call about Lynda being in the emergency room in Oxford, I had no doubt that he would be with me wherever God led us.  Russ has loved Lynda for 22 years.  He has gone to NMRC to bring her home to surprise me.  Lynda loved him, too.  In ICU, she recognized my voice and she recognized his.  Right after we took her of the vent and her hands were free, she patted his arm as he sat there next to her.  That was her way of saying "I love you" and I think in this case, "Good-bye."

Russ knows what is important to me.  He went into special education when we moved to Florida back in 2002 and has just earned a second masters degree, this time in dyslexia therapy.  This year for the first time ever, we teach at the same school.  Not only that but we teach in the same ROOM.

They built a wall and door down the middle of my classroom and now I have half with the kindergarten and first graders being resourced and he teaches the resource class for the second graders. (Inside the door/Russ's room) People stop in often and laugh and say "Man I love my husband or I love my wife but we couldn't teach together!"  LOL  Well, we've worked together in Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, we've had a gift shop together.  We never run out of things to talk about regardless of how much we are together.  He really is my best friend and I thank God for him.  We think alike in special education and we both are willing to go way over and beyond what's expected to help a child.  It's an honor to teach with Russ.  He is a wonderful teacher and I'm seeing such amazing improvements in the students that he's doing dyslexia therapy with as well as the zillions of other things he teaches.

God has blessed us to be able to share our love for children with special needs.  He has blessed me with his love for my daughter with special needs, as well.  We have also parented my two sons and his son and daughter through the years.  They are all grown and married now.  We share six beautiful grandchildren.  Oh, and three furry children that were both his and my first dogs ever when we were already old, seven years ago.  The most important thing we share is our love for God and he has blessed us in more ways than I could even name or we could even imagine.

We'll get back to New England one day soon.  Even if we're at school on our anniversary, we're together and that's another one of God's blessings!  Happy Anniversary, love.