Twenty-three years ago on August 24, I married my husband. It was a second marriage for both of us. We wanted to keep the wedding small. I wanted a picnic in my parent's backyard until I started looking into the cost of having fifty people at their house. I will admit I started crying from frustration that day at work.

My husband and I were paying for the wedding. Money was tight. Hubby stepped up to the plate that day and suggested we go looking at a few bars that might be able to hold a small wedding too.

We ended up finding the perfect place. It was a volleyball bar with beach sand courts. The bar wanted to start catering to medium size weddings. They were remodeling the main bar and adding on a beautiful outside patio in the back. Unbelievably it turned out cheaper to have the wedding there then in my parent's backyard. The bonus was the bar took care of everything.

Four years ago on August 24, my Dad passed away. My Dad was human and had his own faults to the end. As a Dad, he was the greatest. He taught me so many wonderful things about human nature.

He instilled in me the knowledge that all humans should be treated equally. He showed, by example, a person is never too proud to kneel before God showing your respect for what you believe in.

The day I married my husband I needed my Dad to lean on. Being my second marriage, the first going horribly wrong, I will admit I was scared. My Dad made sure I was doing the right thing before he proudly walked me down the church aisle.

Rumors have it my flowers could be seen shaking. One person might have placed a bet on if there would be any petals left on the flowers by the time I made it to the alter. Lucky for the flowers it was a short aisle.

In front of God, family, and many friends I married my husband.

This year the anniversary of my Dad's death hit me hard. Hubby and I were to go out for dinner and I wasn't up for it. For whatever reason, this was the year I finally am letting myself mourn my Fathers passing.

When he died I had to take care of my Mom who had never lived on her own in her life. When I finally came back home after making sure Mom would be okay, I was too exhausted to feel anything.

Dad is with me each day as I look down at my hands and see his wedding ring on my finger. He still gives me strength when I need it most and reminds me of all the wonderful things he taught me while growing up.

Twenty-three years later, through good times and bad, for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, I know I married the perfect man for me. We are not perfect. We don't sing through our days like in the movies or some romance book. We are there for each other to hold the other up when we can not stand on our own.

My husband has shown me that it is okay to disagree loudly with each other. Arguing is part of life, it isn't the end of a marriage. He has shown me what marriage really means.

Over twenty-three years my husband has become my rock. He kept his promise to my Dad the day we got married. I am a better person having my husband in my life even when he drives me slightly insane. 😹

If I have been a tad absent from Steem, now you know why. It was finally my time to mourn my Dad's passing with my whole soul.

It was also time to take a good look at my marriage and see it for what it really is. Two people living their lives together, counting on each other no matter what. I made a perfect choice 23 years ago. No more looking back.