Celebrating 28 Years of Marriage; Our Unlikely Love Story

As I sit here, reflecting on the past 28 years of marriage to Steve Wampler, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with joy. What started as an unlikely and highly unusual marriage to a man with cerebral palsy has unfolded into a playful, adventurous, fun-filled marriage of unbreakable companionship. It turns out that Steve has been nothing short of wonderful, sweet, steadfast, and reliable.

Back in the day, when we were two young souls setting out, we were a rare sighting. We knew gay couples and mixed-race couples but we didn’t know any couples like us.  We had to brave it out… I wanted to be with him and knew the rest would have to play out as it did. Man has this marriage played out.

I remember the understandable doubts from my concerned loved ones, questioning the feasibility of such a marriage. We understood the concerns, but were so connected and attached, that we forged ahead anyway, with their love and support amid shaky support and uncertainty.

Our marriage is the opposite of what many people might think. Stephen is happy and funny and reliable and unwavering and a guy’s guy and a leader, and an almost perfect father. Steve Wampler is just all the things. Our marriage has been both uncharted and ordinary, rare and routine, stable and atypical.

The best part of us is to have parented and share our two favorite humans. I couldn’t imagine how he would or could do it, but they’re young adults now, and it all turned out just like he promised it would…

So, I love him, and I like him, and we carry on with the hopes of many more years to come. I celebrate Steve, and I’m grateful and joyful and rich to have braved my instinct and married him 28 years ago, knowing I had to be with him and the rest would have to play out.