Twenty-four years and counting...

It started with a letter (the old fashioned kind -- pen and paper) that began "You don't know me but we have a mutual friend..." grew into a whirlwind relationship with precious time grabbed between squadron dets, workups and deployments and culminated on a humid Virginia Beach evening in August with marrying my best possible friend and love of my life. Twenty-four years later this exceedingly patient woman has:

Endured seven deployments, numerous "short" dets, workups, late night and weekend flights, weekend & holiday duties; moved from one coast to the other and back again; put up with snotty senior officer wives; taken many a late night call from junior sailor's wives enduring their first deployment separation; raised three kids (one of which was born on -- yep, deployment); served as teacher and mentor to the same and in her own words, graduated high school two more times since her own graduation and is working on the 4th degree; Has been an unfailing, always steadfast reliable sounding board and so much more...all while putting up with your prototypical hyper-Type A aviation sort, and we all know how easy we are to put up with...

On the occasion of our 24th anniversary, as I pause to give thanks to the Lord for the blessings He has made manifast in my life, bringing Sharon into it is top of the list.

Happy Anniversary sweetheart -- I love you like no other; 'twas ever so & 'twill always be...

- SJS