Nine years ago today, my boyfriend Patrick took me out for a ride in a white limo, supposedly to drive around and look at Christmas lights. In reality, he took me out to a romantic setting on the dam at Lake Hefner, dropped to one knee in the drizzling and freezing rain, and said "Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"

Of course I said yes, and I also said "Get up. Your pants are getting wet."

When we got back home, I discovered that he had divulged this secret proposal to my best girlfriends, who went to our house and decorated like crazy with wedding bells and bridal magazines. They invited everyone we knew, and we had a suprise engagement party for Patrick and I.

Nine years. It seems so long ago, and yet it seems like yesterday.

For reasons known only to the weird, inner workings of my brain, I can tell you exactly what I had on: a black pencil skirt and an eggplant sweater set. I had bangs, too, which, looking back, weren't the best look for my head.

I only remember that Patrick was wearing khaki pants because they got darker on the knees when they were wet.

Nine years. This man, who is the complete center of my universe, has been my fiancee for nine years. He's been my boyfriend for nearly ten years. And he's been my husband for eight years. He's been the father of our twins for seven years. He'll be the very best thing that ever happened to me for all eternity.

If you're wondering, yes, the ring was and remains beautiful and will always be my most cherished piece of jewelry. It shines like new love and still today, it will catch the light and cause me to catch my breath.

Let me tell you about this man of mine. Patrick, aka Skippy, is the funniest man I've ever met. He doesn't always intend to be funny (ask the Harem, my bestest friends, about Skippyisms and watch how many of them spit whatever is in their mouth, laughing. They'll start quoting him and screaming with laughter for hours on end.). Even when he isn't mixing metaphors and says things exactly the right way, this man is FUNNY. There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't make me spit something liquid out of my nose, or giggle so hard that the bed squeaks, or drop my cell phone, laughing at a text he's sent me. Funny is good, and funny is important. If you aren't laughing with your forever person, your version of forever is going to seem awfully long, I think.

Patrick is one of those men who absolutely adores women. He loves all women, and tends to adopt them all as sort of honorary sisters. It's a rare gift to have in a husband - a man so completely comfortable in a roomful of women. There are many times when we all go out, and it's this great gaggle of girls and my husband. No one is ever uncomfortable or feels as though they have to act "right" because a man is here. We tell stories about feminine miseries and make fun of the other men we know, and Patrick stays with us, fetching drinks, laughing, and simply loving all of us.

My Skippy, this funny man who was by far the best boyfriend I've ever had, has somehow transformed himself into  the best husband anyone knows, and the most amazing and caring father I've ever known. Our kids absolutely worship him and find the times they get to spend with Daddy, whether in the backyard or in the basement tinkering around, are the best times they have. Mommy is for homework, room cleaning and baths, but Daddy is just for sheer fun.

Somehow, he's managed this amazing transformation into Super Dad and Husband and still somehow feels like my boyfriend. He's romantic and loving, and never misses an opportunity to sneak me a kiss and sneak himself a grope. He takes me on dates and listens when I'm talking. He lights candles in the bedroom and turns on music. When I want to talk to him, he tunes everything around him out and LISTENS to me. If I need to cry, he snuggles me in his lap and lets me, without doing that guy thing and asking questions and fixing things...he just lets me get it all out. If I need to laugh, he laughs with me. He things nothing of going into the kitchen at all hours of the night because I suddenly have a craving for something only he can make.

When it comes to men, I've made some incredibly stupid decisions in my life. How I EVER managed to get and keep Patrick's attention is beyond me; I've never thought I deserved him but I've always hoped he wouldn't notice. No person is perfect, but I have to say, that for me, Patrick is the perfect husband,, perfect best friend, perfect boyfriend, perfect fiancee, perfect lover. He's everything I ever hoped for, and way beyond what I ever thought I'd have.

Saying yes was the best decision I ever made. I love you, Skippy!