Leslie Celebrates 10 Year Wedding Anniversary That Almost Didn’t Happen

The year 2020 marks mine and Quenton’s 10th wedding anniversary. We were married, in our backyard, on November 6th, 2010. Like every marriage, we have had our ups and downs. Sharing a life with somebody can be difficult, especially when you both carry a lot of baggage.

When I say both, I mean, mainly me. He came with a gym bag of relationship crap and I came with a trunk the size of a car. He had never been married and I was divorced. I’m also 11 years older than him, which means I had more time to mess stuff up in my life.

As much as I would like to be able to say that I have done a wonderful job of making our relationship a beautiful and lasting one, I have not. From the very beginning, the scares from my past, although for the most part healed, would open up very easily. I have been quick to question motives, extra sensitive to comments or actions, insanely moody, and not at all trusting. I have cried, yelled, been silent, cried, yelled, been silent, and repeated those things over and over again.

I have thought, many times, about leaving him, or rather setting him free from me, not because I didn't love him, but because I love him so much. I have given him every reason to leave me. Looking back, he should have left, or I should have let him go. But, after feeling the kind of love I did for him, I couldn't bare to set him free. Quenton has shared with me that he too thought about ending our marriage, many times, but he couldn't let me go either. It's love like that makes you stay.

He has been very patient, kind and understanding. Many moments were tense and emotions were high, but he never gave up on me. He did everything he could to ease my mind and gain my trust. I really never thought, with all that has happened and all of my issues, that we would be celebrating 11 years together and 10 years married. Even though, at times, the temptation to leave it all behind and be free of me and my emotional wounds seemed greater than his love for me, he stayed.

I've loved him from the moment I saw him. Yes, for me, it was love at first sight. I was drawn to him in a way that surprised me and I couldn’t explain or figure out. He was the ONE. Over the years, I tested him so much and tried so hard to ruin it, that it makes me grateful to have him in my life today. He is everything I ever wanted; strong, funny, intelligent and kind. He was meant for me. After 11 years together, my heart still skips a beat when I look into his eyes and see him smile.

After a divorce, Quenton was the love I thought I would never find. He is my knight in shining armor who brought me back to life and rescued, not only me, but my kids too. When my children need him, he is always there to cheer them on, support them, advise them, give them money, move their furniture or fix what ever is wrong. And, as a grandfather, he is the absolute best. It melts my heart to see him with our granddaughter.

I cherish every moment of our time together and thank God for him every single day. I find myself wishing we had met sooner so we could share more time together. So we could be the couple who celebrates 50 plus years together surrounded by all of our kids and grandkids. But, I realize we both had to go through, what we have been through to truly understand and appreciate the intense, forgiving, passionate, beautiful, and extremely fun love we have found in each other.

The journey to get where we are today has been rocky, but it was SO worth it. Neither one of us is easy to live with on a good day, let alone on our worst. Now, our demons are behind us and we try to make everyday the best it can be. He calms my fears, inspires my mind, melts me heart and stirs my very soul. He is my person and I am his and here’s to many more years of outstanding love.

We are proof that if love was meant to be, it will be. It's not always easy, but it's worth it. Today, we are closer and more in love than ever before. We both had a lot to learn about maintaining a healthy relationship, how to let go, fully, of our separate pasts and to accept each other, the good AND bad, of exactly who we really are. Instead of going through life like you are living with an enemy that is about to hurt you, we help to heal and support each other while trusting fully in the love we have for each other and the life and family we have built.

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