The year was 1991 and I had just started dating a very nice guy about six weeks before Christmas. I knew that this relationship had real potential but neither one of us had articulated that fact OUTLOUD just yet.

I had been married for seven years prior and was a bit gun shy about getting into another relationship. Dating after my divorce wasn't much fun. One man who asked me out had been married six times. Another man admitted that he had a foot fetish and consequently requested that I wear open-toe sandles to dinner......in January.

It was easy to turn down these dates and I quickly decided that I was going to stay single forever. That lasted for 3 years and then I met Jeff. I knew from day one that he was "the one".

On our first Christmas Eve Jeff came over with two live lobsters, a bottle of champagne and a beautifully wrapped rake. Yes, a rake. A rake that rakes leaves.

I was even more suprised at my response......I LOVED it!

That rake told me so much about who Jeff really was. It said he was comfortable in his own skin and didn't feel that he had to impress me with lavish gifts. It told me that he listened to me when I'd complain about all my yard work. And, then he took my new rake and actually did all the work for me.

Shortly after what I like to call " The Rake Christmas" we broke down and confessed our feelings and like they say "the rest is history".

The rake lived for 12 years until one day the handle snapped in two. I wanted to put what remained in a shadow box and hang it in my office but Jeff thought that was a silly idea.

In the years since I have receieved lots of practical gifts from Jeff (last year I got a battery-operated lint remover) and also some very lavish ones (you should see my new diamond ring!) but the best gift ever will always be that rake.

Thank you, Jeff, for being who you are....the best husband ever.