We've Been to Hell and Back, So Don't Say I Never Took You Anywhere

    Ten years ago today Pita and I said I do. It was a million degrees that day in Mobile Alabama, and I literally felt as though I was melting. We had no clue how turbulent our journey together would be. That day we never even considered it. We were happy and that was all that mattered.

    Long story short, I conceived during Hurricane Katrina. I was high risk and had to quit my job as a tattoo artist. Pita took a job in construction because there was so much damage from Katrina. Sadly though, people needed their homes fixed to live in, but were still waiting on their FEMA checks, so hubby rarely got paid. We were barely making it. By December we moved back to Pa.

   That was just the beginning. From then on, every time things seemed to look up, something else brought us down. So is the way of the world I guess. Our marriage has been tumultuous, to say the least. We have wanted to give up a few times. We didn't. We stuck it out, and here we are.

   Marriage is work. It's never sunshine and lollipops. Life has a way of slapping us when we're down. We're pretty used to that. Through major surgeries, chronic medical conditions, autism, bipolar disorder, and living on squat, we persevere. We choose to fight, so here we are.

    Today we're having a small "reception" complete with a wedding cake because we didn't have that when we got married. Pita came home from picking up the last minute items that I needed, and said, "Dammit! I forgot to get you a card! I even had something so nice to say. Well, I'll just tell ya!"

     "I was going to write: We've been to Hell and back so many times. I don't have a lot of money, but together we have a lot. And since we've been to Hell and back so many times, you can't say I never took you anywhere."

    That pretty much sums up our marriage. Without humor and added sarcasm, I think we'd never survive. When life kicks us, we laugh (well after a day or so of sulking.) If someone were to ask us what the key to our marriage has been, I would have to say, humor, laughter, resilience, forgiveness, and of course love.

    "We don't have a lot, but together we have it all."