We had a secret that no one else knew for many, many years.  

To either of us Valentines was the day we married.   February 14 1981.

We eloped that day and in the ancient tradition of marriage we joined hands and hearts and vowed to hold fast to one another.

Then May 22nd 1981 we did so before a preacher and family.

There are pictures I posted of what she looked like and they don't do justice to how beautiful a bride she truly was.

She is still my soul mate and my best friend.   Without her I am but half a man.

I remember standing at the top of the patio watching her coming up to me and the preacher waiting for us so he could begin.  My heart raced wildly beating like a brass band, so did hers.   She had called me three times that day to make sure I was coming.   I was so nervous that I felt like passing out, and as I took her hand the world stopped moving.   I looked through her veil into her eyes that were glowing.   Small tears were in each of our eyes as I whispered, "You look so beautiful"  A smile broke out on her face so wide I gasped, "I am so lucky"  When the preacher pronounced man and wife he didn't finish the "You may kiss the bride" I already swept her into my arms and we kissed as each of us became one soul at that moment.   She would tell me, "It was like you came into my body and I went into yours.  I could feel the bond."   She was so right, we both had tears in our eyes, not sorrow by any means but pure sweet blissful joy.

Later after the reception when we had changed into normal clothes she rushed into my arms and looked deeply into my eyes and as she saw me smiling like the Cheshire Cat, she told me, "Thank you for making me your wife."

I felt a lump in my throat and a tear escaped as I replied, "It is me that needs to thank you my beautiful lady for having me to be your husband."

That was what we were truly like.