Forever Your Girl

Long before Paula Abdul was a semi-sober judge on American Idol, she used to have a song called "Opposites Attract". As much as I hate to admit it, I really kind of liked that song. It was the anthem on which my husband and I based our marriage..... Okay not really!!!! But I believe that on some levels it is the opposites in a marriage that are the key to a lasting relationship. Of course nobody has ever come to me for marital advice, so I could be wrong. But it seems to work for me and my husband.

He is a true country boy at heart. To him a good day is getting on the tractor in the middle of the Texas summer, and working until the sun goes down. I prefer to slather on my SPF 50, sit on my well padded tush in the shade, and read a good book. He sometimes gets involved in projects around the house and forgets to eat. I sometimes have so many projects around the house, I eat to forget. He doesn't like chocolate, I could live on it. He likes a big juicy steak from some manly restaurant, I like a spinach salad from the tea room. You get the picture... we are different.

So really it didn't surprise me when a few years back we were talking about old televisions shows and he confessed that he used to have a crush on Maryann from Gilligan's Island.

Well of course he did... she was a sweet, pretty country girl that probably enjoyed tractor rides. I on the other hand wanted to BE Ginger! She was always stylish, sophisticated, and oh man those clothes she brought on that three hour tour! Sure Maryanne looked cute in her short shorts and her occasional gingham dress, but come on, Ginger had the make up, designer gowns, and high heels! In my girlish mind there was absolutely no competition between the two.





Through the years we have learned to look past our superficial differences, and to appreciate the differences that complement each other.

My husband is the logical one when I tend to get emotional. He thinks things through when I tend to plow in head first and think later. He is a mechanical engineer type, and I don't even know how to use the television remote.

I suppose he has come to grips with the fact he started out a Maryann man that married a Ginger wannabe who somehow through the years has morphed into Mrs. Howell.... minus the millions.