14.

Okay, so I looked up some really interesting facts about the number 14. Are you ready? Here goes...

* According to the Indians, fourteen Manous control the world in successive and equal reigns, during the great cycle of the Maha Kalpa or Day of Brahma, having 4320000000 solar years.

* A Cuboctahedron is an Archimedean Solid with 14 Faces. It has eight triangles and six squares.

I know. Right? I could care less, too.

Here's another interesting fact about 14. I've been married 14 years today. Yep, that's 13 1/2 years longer than my parents thought he would stick around, considering the mouth on me!

Here are some more interesting facts about the last 14...

1. The first time I ever laid eyes on the AG was in our Freshman orientation at college. He got up in the middle and walked to the bathroom and I remember thinking, "Oh man, if all the guys here wear parachute pants this is gonna be one long, lonely year."

2. The AG quickly became one of my best friends and so I did him a favor - and fixed him up with a girl on my Dorm hall. She was blond. And a cheerleader. And just his type. He stood her up one night to take me out instead.

3. When she found out he stood her up to take ME out she was furious! I told her not to worry about it, to 'look at her and look at me.' "Now honestly, do you really think he would choose me over you?" She actually AGREED with me. She then asked me to tape record him talking about her;to find out what he really thought. And I actually agreed to do it.

4. He took me to dinner and Christmas shopping at the Galleria. I had more fun with him then I had ever had with any girl/guy friend in my entire life.

5. Later that night I set the tape to record, placed it at the top of my opened purse, lay said purse on table, and began to record our conversation. I asked him about her, but he said he didn't want to talk about her (actually he said, "____? I have nothing to say about her. She's got a great car. I love to drive it. That's the extent of it."). Then he told me that he had asked me out to tell me something. He told me he had never had a girl become such a wonderful friend. And that at some point I had become his best friend. Then he told me that he thought he loved me.

6. The tape was still rolling.

7. It was the finest words I had ever heard come out of a mouth in my life. I cried. And told him that I thought I loved him too. He asked to hold my hand. And I said, "yes." And a few minutes later he had to wipe his hand on his jeans because my hand was sweating so much.

8. When I walked in my dorm room that night she was sitting there, waiting for me, with ALL of the cheerleading squad. She held her hand out for the tape.

9. I gladly handed it over. In fact, I think I pushed 'play.'

10. She called him and told him everything.

11. He was furious. He came storming over to my dorm room, picked me up, put me in his car, asked for the tape, threw it out the window and backed over it three times.

12. Then he laughed and said, "I have a feeling you are gonna be a whole lot to put up with. Am I right?"

13. I said "You have no idea."

14. We would give our right arms to still have that tape.

I love you. With all my heart.

Melissa