A sense of humor is important in a marriage

My husband and I are celebrating our 27th anniversary this month. We have been through thick and thin, humorless days and ones full of laughter.

Communication is important in a good marriage. We tell each other “I love you” at least once a day. Beyond that, our communications have included a few humorous moments over the years.

Jerry and I met in Germany when we were both in the Army. His post was in Neckarsulm and mine was in Heilbronn. The towns were in close proximity, but had it not been for a mutual friend we might have never met.

Jerry was painfully shy when we met and it took him nearly a full day before he said a word to me. I soon learned he had a keen sense of humor though.

One night we were out for dinner at a local restaurant and a man came up to us selling roses. Normally, buying a girl a rose would be a very romantic gesture, but my brutal honesty interfered with his attempt.

The flowers were wilted, on their last breath and the man was charging three dollars per rose. I told Jerry not to waste his money. I still joke that he thought I said “Don’t waste your money on flowers, ever!”

The next time Jerry bought me flowers was when our oldest son, Joshua, was over a year old. We were still living in Germany and I had decided to take a week-long trip to Spain with some friends.

Jerry thought it would be easier for him and Joshua if he took the week off and stayed home. Before the week was over, Jerry had called the babysitter for help. I arrived home to a bouquet of flowers on the coffee table and a closet filled with balloons that had love notes written in each one.

That gesture told me how much he appreciated me and is one of my favorite memories of our early years.

Our life has not been about flowers, so it really doesn’t bother me that he didn’t buy flowers every time we had an anniversary or for Valentine’s Day.

Every now and then I get a hankering for flowers on Valentine’s Day. When that happens, I go down the street to The Flower Pot and buy myself a vase of roses.

When my husband stops in the office, I point to the flowers and tell him “See what you got me for Valentine’s Day.”

His friends want to know how he trained his wife to buy her own flowers.

I can count on one hand the number of times Jerry has bought me flowers, but I cannot remember how many times he has been there for me when I am down, or listens to me when I am having a bad day or tells me he is proud of me.

I wouldn’t trade any of those moments for a room full of flowers.