Behind this loud, emotional, crazy girl is a quiet, steady, strong man and this is his story:
Martin was a cute kid, named after his father Martin, they were called ''Big Marty'' and ''Little Marty'' by their family members. His parents divorced when he was only three, after third grade he chose to permanently live with his Dad and Grandmother in the family home in Fullerton.
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| Little Marty and a neighbor friend |
Marty's dad was ravaged by Type 1 diabetes and was a good caretaker for Marty who had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes himself at some age between 5-9. He remembers living a life of measured kashi cereal and eating cake gels as glucose to bring his blood sugar up.
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| Big Marty and Little Marty |
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| The Timms Men |
He was a very doted upon only child, I actually have lists that his parents saved from their toy hunting adventures. They were known to drive all over southern California to buy Marty a toy. He had every single Star Wars toy in its original box....every.single. one. That also crossed over to GI Joe and Transformers. He had a five foot long toy box on casters. What happened to those toys? his Dad and Grandma eventually donated them. It's a story of legend.
He grew up bowling with his neighbors Albert and Tony. Star Wars toys gave way to skateboarding and having the best gear.
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| Marty and friend Albert |
In junior high, I started riding on the same bus as Marty, we never spoke. It's funny, we have pictures from the same place and time, going to school together from 7th-12th grade. We had the many cross over friends but we never spoke.
Marty lived a different lifestyle than I did in those days. I do remember his daily treks to Taco Bell, once walking behind him and thinking he was stuck up. True story.
In 1994, a few months after we graduated high school our paths crossed and we finally saw each other. It was a rough start involving a one month break up. Three months after that we were engaged and so our lives began.
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| our engagement photo |
We were young but had plans, both growing up in tough situations, we both grew up very fast. We knew what we wanted and stuck to it.
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| Our wedding day |
Marty and I moved in his family home to care for his dying grandmother and father. Often we failed, we were 19 years old and even our parents hadn't gone through those things. I remember watching Marty make the toughest choice of his life in a hospital emergency room at 20 years old to let his Dad go. It was a heartbreaking moment to head home without his dad.
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| Marty and his parents |
At his funeral, Marty said, ''If I can only be a 1/4 of the father my Dad was to my kids someday?'' A month later he wrote me a card and asked me if we could have a baby? he really wanted to have kids and didn't want to wait anymore. We had that five year mentality because of our ages but his dream of seeing his father hold his grandson was shattered. Just ten months later, Conner was born.
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| Proud Dad |
Marty had never been around small kids but was a natural dad. He would take care of Conner in the mornings before I worked. Later when Elizabeth was born, she immediately had him wrapped around her finger. He would care for them during the day while I worked and he worked at night to be home during the day.
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| First day as a Dad |
We made our first big leap and moved 300 miles away from our families to start a new life. It was a tough journey that we accomplished together. Starting from nothing, Marty worked hard to build a life for our family alongside me. So proud of all he accomplished going to school to start a new career.
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| Marty and baby Conner |
Together our lives came crumbling down in 2007 with a horrible diagnosis. Marty held his head high, worked 80 hrs a week and very rarely complained. It was me who often crumbled and lost it, Marty stood strong only breaking down twice in our four year journey.
He is a good husband, very patient with me, loving, and kind. He has always supported me, helped me through some really dark things and made me a better person Never telling me ''no'' when I want to go on an adventure with friends,traveling to see my family or meeting up with my beloved tweeps. He always goes right along with me. He never once has told me to lose weight or anything about my appearance except that I am beautiful to him. God knew the day I met Marty, he told me that was my husband and chose well for me. I never have had to wonder where he was? he has always been right by my side.
Never have I felt anything but that of a treasured and well loved wife, I am his world and he graciously shares me with the world. I asked him a few months back, when crying about something that happened to a twitter friend, '' Does it bother you that I let others in?'' and he said, ''That is what makes you who you are and I know you wouldn't be happy if you couldn't love others.'' I told you he is pretty darn wonderful!
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| Marty and I during our darkest times |
I love coming home to the laughter of Marty and the kids. They have lots of laughs together, inside jokes and fun times. He is a wonderful father and an even better husband. Thanks to a boy named Jerry, we get to keep him longer than once expected.
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| Marty's favorite picture of the kids |
Ours isn't a perfect life of rose colored glasses or easy, we have lived a hard life filled with much love and respect. I know my life would not be the same without this lovely man and I count myself very blessed to have him.
He makes me laugh, he tells me when I am wrong, he loves me unconditionally, worships the ground I walk on, is a wonderful dad, hard worker and just the even keel I need.
Happy birthday baby, I thank God for you each day and for the life we continue to live. It's been hard and uphill but we made it together. So thankful today we get to celebrate your 8th annual 29th birthday!
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| This one gets me everytime. Marty and our babies |
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| Marty and the kids in front of his childhood home |
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| Marty and my cousins |
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| Daddy and the kids |
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| Marty and his Poohnky |
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| our first date |
Marty took me to the Madonna Inn for my 30th birthday
