Why I Love My Wife

I remember when my wife and I were much younger, she would ask me that very question: "Why do you love me?" or, "What about me do you love?"

When put on the spot like that, I would come up with various "from the hip" answers. When given the opportunity to reflect on it, I'm able to come up with much more than I could back then. Blogger's servers probably don't have the capability to contain the full list of reasons and explanations, so I'll simply provide a condensed list here:

She's an optimist.

Well, she might not fit the mold of a true optimist, but she does have a talent for seeing the silver lining in every gray cloud. We've had our low moments, and she has always pointed out how and why things were good, or could be much worse. Any time that life or, more frequently my job, has put me in a foul mood, she always found a way to reveal the good side of things. For that, I love her.

She's strong.

I already know that she has an incredible tolerance for pain. I know what she went through when our son was born, and she was a trooper (it wasn't a normal birth). When things get tough, she tightens her belt and gets things done. She's a rock of strength. For that, I love her.

She's patient.

I might be mildly intelligent but, like most men, I'm quite capable of doing incredibly stupid things. No matter how idiotic I can manage to be, she forgives me, scolds me a bit, and points out what I should have done in place of my stupid actions. One question: Where the hell was she when I was a teenager? For that, I love her.

She's a great Marine Wife.

She knows the definitions of terms like hump, UDP, LES, field day, shitbird, and PT. She doesn't bat an eye when I tell her that I have duty and won't be home on any given night. She knows where all of my "deuce gear" is stored. When I'm on the range, she doesn't greet me with, "How was your day?" but, "How did you shoot today?" When I was in Iraq, she wrote me every day. For that, I adore her.

She's unique.

She's not the average woman. If she was, I'd probably lose my patience and end up single. She has a child-like sense of humor that I can't get enough of. Christmas is her favorite time of year (I think she loves Christmas more than the kids do). She collects pigs. She makes beautiful quilts. She can whip up a helluva meal with a package of beef, some rice, and some gravy. She can insult me while making a compliment. Her political views are similar to mine, but different enough to keep me on my toes. She finds joy in the strangest places: "This smells awful; you've GOT to smell it." She's one of the only people on the planet that knows my likes, dislikes, pet peeves, and how to push my buttons. For that, I love her.

She's kind.

There have been times when I turned a blind eye to things, and she smacked me and said something like, "Don't just stand there; do something." She ALWAYS tries to do the right thing when it comes to other people. She always insists that I do the same. She sometimes cries when she sees a dead cat or dog in the road. For that, I admire her.

In a nutshell, she's the most wonderful woman in the world. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life in a world without her. I'd fight, kill, or die for her in an instant. In other words, I think I'll keep her.