Fashion Models + My Terrific Husband

Before they had children, there were eight previous years when it was just the girl and her husband.

They spent those early years of their marriage growing up together, in their early twenties. They spent their time eating out at fancy restaurants, sleeping in on the weekends, relaxing on the couch in the evenings in front of the TV in each others arms, moving forward and upward in their careers, buying cars, buying houses and building the foundation for their lives together by making plans and goals and dreams.

In the earliest part of their relationship, she followed him everywhere. They were newly in love and they often wandered. They'd take trips down to his home town where he'd spend long days with his buddies - and she'd be there. Watching as they'd play pool or work on cars. She'd sit in the sun, on the hood of his truck, with a pair of pliers, a lap filled with pecans she'd gathered from the ground beneath the pecan tree and she'd crack and eat nuts while he worked. She'd look across the yard and there he would be, with his head under the hood of a car. Every so often he'd stop working long enough to gaze in her direction and smile. And sometimes, he'd walk towards her and she'd watch him in his jeans and cowboy hat. He'd lean on the truck beside her and they'd talk a bit. And then he'd touch her face softly and kiss her. When he'd walk away, she was not sad, but pleased that he had considered her. She felt proud to be his girl. She was content in his presence. She was content knowing that he wanted her with him. She was content basking in the sun and eating pecans on the hood of that truck.

They also spent many a night driving. They'd head downtown or across town or over to the airport. They'd sometimes pull their car, a white Firebird with T-tops, into the grassy area, just off the freeway, on the fence line of the airport. They'd line the car up with the landing strip, take the T-tops off the Firebird, recline their seats, turn the music on soft and low, hold hands and kiss and wait for the planes to land. They saw stars and cars on the freeway. They talked of their plans and unloaded their problems. They spoke kindly and touched freely and then braced against each other when the roar of the planes approached and then they'd stretch out their arms ... as if they believed they could touch the wings.

When their babies came along ... their lives were changed. They became busier, more stressed, more occupied with the lives of their children. And this was not a bad thing, as it was inevitable. They moved on and created ... a family.

They lost much of what they were in their youth and yet they grew into more than they ever imagined. The love they had grew stronger and wider and touched not only the two of them, but their children as well. They no longer wandered, but created stability and security. They became wiser and left their childish whims behind. They became parents and their priorities changed and so did their visions and dreams. They grew older.

It was a long time ago, when they were so young. There are many people that would say that her husband is the one following her. And sometimes ... that is so. Sometimes she does look back to see if he is coming. But, more often than not ... she is the one looking forward to make sure that he is still searching her out ... that he is waiting for her. She followed him then ... 22 years before ... just about anywhere he wanted her to go. And ... she follows him now.

Sometimes ... she goes there ... to the days of their youth. When they were overwhelmed by lust and drowning in love. When it felt like they had not a care in the world. When all they really wanted was to be together, to gaze helplessly into one anothers eyes, spend time in the darkness and every so often ... reach up together ... and touch the sky.

Billy ... I would say that we are lucky ... you and I. I would say that we have come along way from those days of our blissful youth. I would say that I am privileged to have you love me and I would say thank you ... thank you ... for constantly lifting me up ... so that I can touch the sky.