Built to last: 20 years and going strong

Our last few months have been marked by milestones and missions related to our reloaction across the country: selling a house in Las Vegas; packing up our belongings; finding a house in Maryland; and the multitude of details that come with moving piled on top of the activities of everyday life and the heavy travel load that has come with my new job.

In the midst of this, my wife has taken on many roles: business partner; accountant; travel agent; counselor; move coordinator; therapist; mom; and much more.

Today, however, we mark a milestone of a different sort, our 20th wedding anniversary, and it gives me reason to pause and consider my wife's roles as my best friend and the love of my life.

I'm not a big country music fan, but one of my favorite songs is the Sara Evans' tune "Perfect," because its chorus sums up what has made Yvonne and I work over the years:

Real life and real love don't have to be perfect
Baby every little piece of the puzzle
doesn't always fit perfectly
Love can be rough around the edges
Tattered at the seams
Honey, if it's good enough for you
It's good enough for me

Over 20 years we've been through thick and thin; good times and bad; triumphs and challenges; laughter and tears; contentment and disappointment. As life has come our way, though, we've had more more than less. A lot more. And a big part is because we've always accepted that life is rarely perfect, and we don't expect it to be perfect. We just find a way to make it work for us and enjoy it. That's happiness in our book.

Being married to me presents certain challenges. I married up, and I know it. I try to earn it every day by doing things that bring her the happiness she deserves. Many days I fail, and I hate it when I do, but I keep trying -- and she sticks with me.

I could list what I love about her, but a blog isn't really the place for that. I'll just leave it with this: she's my girl.

I'm happy I found her 20 years ago and happy we're together -- I'm grateful for it every day. I'd be lost without her. Twenty years went by in a flash, and each year is better than the last. I'm looking forward to the next 20, starting with the next one and our new adventure together with our family.

Our life isn't always perfect, but it's always good enough for me.