Shannon R. Brown

I’ve been married more than half of my life. Today marks 25 years since the fateful day I convinced a very naïve 21-year-old to hitch his wagon to mine. Through good times and bad, sickness and health, the birth of two children, job losses, etc. one thing has remained the same – I’m still Mrs. Brown.

There are days when I wonder why he’s put up with me. And still other days when I wonder how I’ve put up with him all these years. Unsurprisingly, those days often coincide. Truth be told, we’re both just human beings that get annoyed with each other on a fairly regular basis. But we made a promise to each other all those years ago and seeing as how neither one of us has broken our vows, we don’t have much choice but to stick it out.

On our worst days I do my best to remember a few of the reasons I like being married to him. It keeps me from giving into the temptation to reach the ‘til death do us part moment a little faster than originally planned. Thus I give you –

25 reasons I’m not a widow yet:

1. He’s cute, even when he forgets to brush his hair.
2. He stays gainfully employed thereby allowing me to lead a life of leisure as a stay-at-home mom.
3. He rarely forgets to put on deodorant.
4. He gets up with the kids/dogs/parents even though he knows there’s a good possibility I’m playing possum.
5. He has good taste in coffee.
6. Our DNA mixed together produced some fantastic results.
7. He likes to grab my butt, no matter who may be looking.
8. He still carries a picture of me in my senior year, late 80s mane of glory days.
9. He whistles at me.
10. He knows how to talk me off a cliff. Even if he’s the one that forced me up there.
11. It was his idea that I travel half way across the world with a friend with his air miles while he tended to my duties at home.
12. He flirts with me from across the room, or the world, with inappropriate emojis.
13. He mans the grill better than any 5 star chef.
14. When I fall asleep while reading, he does his best not to lose my place in my book.
15. He mops the floors because he knows I hate to.
16. He makes me go on walks when I’m being lazy.
17. He puts up with our sexist dog because he knows she loves me.
18. He brings me the hotel chocolates that get left on his pillow when he travels.
19. In his jet setting world, it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere and he’s not afraid to remind me of that.
20. He thinks if you need one pair of shoes, then that means you need two and a new outfit or three to match your new kicks. (Our daughter is particularly fond of this character trait.)
21. I’ll never be cold because he has 57 jackets. 15 of them are black so they go with everything.
22. He lets me put my cold toes on his warm legs, back, butt.
23. He has a mischievous grin that lets me know we’re about to bend/break a rule.
24. He’s still my favorite. Hands down.

And finally…

25. I need an accomplice that can’t legally be forced to testify against me.