Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Marriage has been good to me

The year was 1982. June was starting out hot like most Junes in eastern New Mexico. The spring I turned 23 is the one I’ll never forget.

My wife and I celebrated 28 years of marriage this weekend. We’ve both remarked over the last few years that it sometimes seems like it was just yesterday when we were married but at the same time we feel so comfortable around each other that it seems like we’ve been together forever.

In fact, with this anniversary, we’ve now been together longer than either of us was single. The fact that I’ve now been the number one man in her life longer than her father ever was is humbling. It was her father who married us and apparently he did a good job.

Our marriage has been a blessed one even though we never had children. No infidelity, no time separated and never a threat of divorce. The longest we’ve ever been apart has been perhaps a week at most when I’ve been away at professional conferences or on a hunting or fishing trip.

I told her before we married there would be hunting and fishing trips and she could either come along or endure the brief separation. She tried it a few times but has mostly chosen not to venture into the wilderness.

My wife has uprooted her life over and over throughout our marriage to follow my career. She’s never made a move because she wanted to, it’s always been for me. I don’t think too many couples these days are willing to make that kind of sacrifice for their spouse.

We’ve never had a lot of material things since we’ve been married but we’ve been lucky because we’ve made a home wherever we’ve landed. We started out 28 years ago in a home of our own, not a rental. Over the years, except for a few temporary situations, we’ve been in our own home and it’s made a difference.

Home is, or should be, a place of comfort where you can relax and just be yourself. A marriage should be the same.

I find reassurance coming through my own door each evening and being greeted by a loving wife. I feel great comfort and relaxation crawling into bed next to her each night.

Sometimes marriage is a lot of work, sometimes it’s frustrating but it’s all been worth it.

Happy anniversary sweetie!