A dozen

Twelve years ago, on a cold, windy Saturday afternoon, I married the love of my life, my best friend, my hero.

Today we celebrate our first dozen years.  A dozen years seems like a long time by today's standards and I guess it is but when you think of my parents, who've been married going on their FOURTH dozen, and Larry's parents, who were married nearly 56 years when death parted them, it's just that.  Our first dozen.  We've been together for nearly 23 years and in my heart, I became Larry's wife then, the day we met in 1988.  We just waited a long time to make it legal! 

Larry has always tried to get whatever traditional gift you're supposed to get for whatever anniversary you're having.  Like for our leather anniversary, he got me a new wallet.  For steel, he got me a beautiful set of stainless steel bowls.  For aluminum, he made me a gorgeous picture on a piece of foil.  This year, our anniversary is the linen anniversary and he made me a dozen plus two paper roses, one for the two of us and one for each year we've been married, inside a tube and the linen is a piece of his sheet that he printed this sweet poem on. 

Here's a picture!

Here's the poem!

Rick & Alice's Li'l Girl



Far far down in the deep deep south

Where the Oconee has its mouth

Are tall pine trees and red dirt roads

White-tail deer and green croaking toads

Summer's hot hot sun and sweet sweet tea

Juicy peaches and the dogwood tree

Ice cold beer and golden ears of corn

Here's where my Cherokee Rose was born

Sexy dimpled cheeks and ice cream eyes

Character as strong as railroad ties

Brightly painted toes and tombstone teeth

Smooth, lithe legs poking out underneath

Rodeo clown's heart, a honeymooner's smile

Purrs like a panther in a one-minute mile

Loyal like the sun that never fails to rise

So full of life, she can open dead men's eyes

A Pecan Sandie hid in the cookie jar

The pickup truck in the heart of every car

Hot habaneros in a marshmallow pie

And the hottest lips on the coldest sunrise

The fire sprinkler at a funeral pyre

She's the fire-warmed feet in the Hobbit's shire

Who gives forgiveness quick and kisses long

Turns tears to crystal and heartache to song

The widowed heart with dogtags that won't shine

The purest diamond in the deepest mine

She's Frodo's Sam who would not keep the ring

Who was a queen before she knew the King

The mastermind in this heart-stealing heist

Dunked and saved by the love of Jesus Christ

A touchdown pass when it's 4th down and goal

A chaingang tattoo of love on her soul

The grenade with shrapnel of piercing love

The root that grows deep and blossoms above

The golden prize in the Hall Easter Egg Hunt

The game-winning run from the sacrifice bunt

Kisses as sweet as boardwalk taffy

Can melt ice and turn the sane daffy

The pretty maiden who loved this dragon

Carries more love than a covered wagon

This is Rick and Alice's oldest child

Sweetest creation of all that grows wild

All the prayers I've ever prayed in my life

All came true when Ginger became my wife

He's a keeper!!  :) 

Big thanks to Ami for all she does to help

Larry do things for me and get things to me. 

She had this gift wrapped so pretty for me today,

along with a pot of chili and this amazing anniversary dessert! 

I enjoyed my day celebrating a dozen years as Mrs. Schneider.  The next dozen are going to be incredible!