My husband doesn’t show affection in a normal way since his stroke when he was 28. He doesn’t even realize he has a way of showing it. But every time he goes somewhere, he asks if I want to come along. 

I kill green things and no matter how I follow instructions, nothing grows if I plant it. So he fills the backyard with flowers. In 2016, after my second knee replacement, he planted all the flowers in window boxes and attached them to the deck rails so I could photograph them without hurting myself. 

I could go on and on about the little things he does for me, but it’s a long list. Despite his stroke and subsequent disabilities that come with it, he’s still that guy I liked in high school. His sense of humor is intact (or unhinged, depending on perspective). 

We got married young and instead of growing apart, we grew together. He’s a good man, a good husband, a great dad, and a goofy grandpa. I honestly couldn’t imagine how my life would be without him. And I mean that in the sense of our history together- 39 years of marriage. 42 years of friendship.