THEY SAID IT COULD NEVER LAST

"Looks like we made it!"  Barry Mannilow

Anyone who has been around me for any length of time knows that I love my husband!  I really, really love my husband.  He is my knight in shining armor and I feel so blessed in my marriage to him.  I know he got the short end of the stick, but I try to make it up to him.

Cy and I have been together for 23 years!  I was a BABY when I met him (and he was fond of telling me that ALL the time when we first dated, as he is four years my senior...though now that I am just over 40 and he is pushing 50, that doesn't seem to be the razz it once was!).  I have been with him over half my life and I am so thankful.

I didn't always make great choices in the man department before Cy and that is why I not only love him but appreciate the amazing guy he is.  Right from the beginning of our relationship, I knew what a great thing I had!  And believe me, though he is embarrassed to hear talk about it, I made a lot of enemies when we started dating.  A LOT of girls we worked with really, really liked him, too.  But....I won!

So, after knowing how I feel about him, it might surprise you to know that lots of our friends had serious doubts about whether we would make it.  Several people expressed their concern before our wedding.  After our engagement, I think that many people counselled Carl to think twice about going through with the wedding.

I know what you are asking.....WHY?

Well, for all our good points, Cy and I had one major, MAJOR thing working against us.  And back in our early 20's it was a really big obstacle to overcome.  Our friends said it could never be done.  In fact, they had never known any couple to overcome it.  They felt that no matter how much we loved each other, we could never love each other enough to get through something this immense.

In the end, we got married.  And we made it because of one single event.

The Major League Baseball strike of 1994-95.

You see, and if you are a baseball fan of any kind this will make complete sense to you.....Cy loves baseball.  I used to (before the strike).  Cy is a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan.  Oh yeah, you guessed it.  I used to bleed Dodger Blue.  Never was a more imperfect match made.  During our dating days, the Dodgers spent a lot of time making mincemeat of the Giants.  Those were cold, dark nights.  The Dodgers even beat Cy's second favorite team (the Oakland A's....he is a Bay Area boy, after all) in the World Series.  It could get pretty chilly during baseball season in our house.....and that was BEFORE we ever made it to Candlestick to watch a game!

And then.....it happened.

Super-rich team owners and Overpaid baseball players started arguing over how much money they DIDN'T have!  Nothing gets me more than REALLY, REALLY wealthy people complaining about how much more money they should have for playing and providing a GAME for a living!  It was more than I could handle and I BLEW.  I went on a baseball strike, too.  (I might also add at this time, that the Dodgers had the second highest payroll in baseball, and was having a tough time clawing even to the playoffs....AND they wanted more money!!!!).

I quit.  Cold Turkey.  I was OUTTA THERE!

Cy held out.  He held on, still rooting for the Giants.  I did a lot of reading during baseball season.

But, God is good.  REALLY good if you ask Cy.  In ways he never imagined.  God worked a true miracle.

Last week, during the last game of the NL playoffs, I actually got excited about the game!  It was  a GREAT game!  I even got excited about (WARNING:  Dodger fans may want to stop reading now) the GIANTS!

But the deal sealer came as we went into Game 1 of the series.  My wonderful friend, Angi is "from" Texas.  She is a "big" Rangers fan (just don't ask her who Nolan Ryan is!  Even I know who he is and I have NEVER liked the Rangers!), and "loves" baseball (just don't expect her to know the difference between a double and a double play, a starter, a reliever or a closer or the National or American League for that matter).  She started trash talking on Tuesday.  Demanding her burgers and such.  Bringing her Rangers pennant over and hanging it in OUR house.  At one point during the day, I was forwarding dueling texts between my hubby and my buddy!  She threatened not to share her homemade apple pie, Cy sent a picture of her with her mouth stuffed with pie.....and on and on it goes.

Now....say what you want about the Giants....but trash talking my husband?  Uh-uh!  Nothing made me a Giants fan faster!

So, we have been having a blast watching the series.  Watching Angi try to say that Game 1 was a warm up for the Rangers (so....what was last night's SHUT OUT, Ang???).  Watching her leave the house with her tail between her legs before the game was even over!  Oh!  And don't forget how she reminds us that God is a Rangers fan because Josh Hamilton is a believer.  Time will tell....or not.

But the best part of the series has been that Cy and I are FINALLY on the same side!  Wow!  I don't know if I am ready to say I bleed Giants Orange (?), but me rooting for them........well.....they said it would never happen.  Just goes to show ya....Yogi Berra was a genius when he said...

"It ain't over, til it's over".  I hope Cy thinks it was worth the wait!