Old Man Morgan

Today, 30 May, is Decy’s and my wedding anniversary – we have now been married 4 years. I love you darling …. thanks for being a part of my life and being a wonderful and supportive wife. I love you so much !!

For my family members, you already know the history about Decy and I – so I won’t repeat all of it here. If somebody else reads this blog – well, I guess you are at a bit of a loss – but read ahead. What I will say, is that the changes and adaptations that Decy has had to go through to be a part of my life is enormous. Many of us think that change is hard, moving is hard, new jobs are hard, etc, etc. While I agree that each of these things can be difficult and are often very stressful – NONE – ABSOLUTELY NONE – compare to the changes that Decy has gone through.

Consider – when I met Decy in April 2001, she could not speak/understand English (maybe 5% comprehension), she did not like Americans (we tend to be arrogant, dirty [yes, dirty, compared to most Indonesians], and selfish), she was defensive with men, and she was focussed on providing for her children and family. Then, I came into her life – turned everything upside down … everything she knew and thought was tested … and so was her heart – - then I left Indonesia December 2001.

But life is strange and none of us can predict it … through God’s grace she was able to visit America in February 2002 … and then I was gone again – to Angola – a nearly impossible place to get to from Indonesia if you don’t know the process. Yet, somehow she found her way to Angola in September 2002.

Life in Angola was hard – after 30 years of civil war, the country was pretty much destroyed and the city of Luanda was all but a bombed out refugee camp of 4 million people. While peace was declared in early 2002, the country had yet to begun rebuilding. For about 2 1/2 months Decy tried to find her way around the city – with no friends, no transportation, no security, and unable to speak Portuguese. But, somehow Decy figured it all out and turned my little apartment into a home.

In December 2002, Decy returned to Indonesia to literally “get her house in order”. She put the girls in English classes, designed and had built a suitable house for the girls, put the girls in better schools, then packed up to come to Angola. She arrived in April 2003 and we were married (ahem) 30 May 2003 in Murfreesboro Tennessee, coincident with Josh’s high school graduation.

Over time, Decy’s English has strengthened; the girls have been able to join us in Angola; Decy became fluent in Portuguese; we moved into a house; and our lives more or less normalized. But, life never stops for an expat – and before you knew it we were transferred – BACK TO INDONESIA. Quite honestly, this is not what Decy nor I wanted – we wanted a different country – we wanted new experiences. But, this is what we were handed – and we will make the best of it.

About Decy – Perhaps the most amazing person I have ever met. A heart of gold – always giving and caring about others. A positive outlook on life – never gives up. A friend to all – no matter color, race, religion, or orientation. She is both incredibly analytical and artistically talented. And she loves – she loves with all her heart. She is my friend, my confidant, my “cheering section”, my lover, my coach, and my counsellor. She scolds me when I need to be scolded – she holds me when I need to be held. She is always there for me.

While true, nobody is perfect – I am not and Decy is not either – but through love, dedication, support, and most importantly God’s grace – we can get through anything.

Have I said in this blog that: I love my wife … perhaps not enough, but you get my message.

Happy Anniversary Darling. I love you.