Twenty years ago, I met this boy...

Twenty years ago, I met this boy. He was brash and argumentative and loved to push my fucking buttons. I thought he was hot-headed and arrogant. He thought I was a goody-two-shoes who was too smart for my own good. We argued a lot about everything.

And then, one day, when there was no one else around for either of us to talk to, we had an actual conversation. I can't remember what we discussed. At twelve and sixteen years old, it probably wasn't important...except it was. Our opinions of one another slowly began to change until, one day, he told me he was going to marry me someday. 

I thought he was crazy. 

Eighteen years ago, when I was assaulted, he was the first person I turned to. He told me everything would be okay. That I would make it through it, and he would be there to help me. 

I thought he was crazy.

Six months later, when they found the first brain lesion, he was the first person I turned to. Again, he told me everything would be okay. That I would make it through it, and he would be there to help me.

I thought he was crazy then, too. 

I thought he was crazy again sixteen years ago when he told me everything would be okay when I stopped going to public school and started an independent study because of issues with the lesions. And fourteen years ago, when I quit my first "adult" job and starting CNA classes. And I thought he was crazy a thousand times in between when he promised me everything would be okay when I was overwhelmed, stressed out, and ready to quit.

Thirteen years ago, when he asked me to be his wife, I thought he was crazy then, too. I was only nineteen, trying to look after my seventeen year old sister. But I didn't hesitate to say yes to him. 

Twelve years ago today, that hot-headed, arrogant boy made me his wife.

I thought he was crazy then, too. But, as it turns out, he's been right since the very beginning. He's been there every step of the way since we were both kids, proving me wrong when nothing seemed to be going right in my life.

Except him. He's always been right. Right about me. Right beside me. Right for me.

So twenty years ago, I met this boy. He was brash and argumentative, and loved to push my fucking buttons. I thought he was hot-headed and arrogant. And then he changed my life.