We're coming up on 48 the fifth of next month. Her acceptance of me has grown just as our love has grown. I know, even without the trans aspect, I'm not an easy person to live with.

I'm fond of saying that 48 years ago (or what ever anniversary is near) I married the wrong woman for the wrong reasons. We were from different economic back grounds, different social strata and different religious back grounds. All we really had in common was we thought the sex was great.

After five years, she discovered my trans nature and it was that occurrence that made me finally deal with it. Another ten rocky years later, I made a change that set us on a course for staying together "until death do us part", I got back to my religious roots. I embraced my relationship with Jesus and that impacted my life and the lives of my wife and children. She ended up forsaking her roots because she was able (after two years of my being at it) see that what I was doing was fulfilling and real. What's more, she did it all on her own with no pressure from me. All I did was contact a clergyman from her faith that could explain to her what I'd gone through and show her that it fit within her religious framework.

After that we were a two church family. At first it was just me attending the early service with her at her church and then coming home to drop her off and picking up the girls to go to our church. After about a year of that she allowed that maybe she should return the gesture and attend my church with me.

What she found there caused her to decide on her own that we could and should worship together as a family at my church and make it out church.

That was thirty years ago and our love and faith have grown exponentially. I can honestly say that each day I love her more than I ever have before. And she shows me by her attitude and acts of love and acceptance toward me that she returns my love completely.

Here's to long, loving marriages.

BTW congratulations.