My husband helping zip my gown as we prepare to attend the annual USMC birthday ball in the mountains of Maryland. As a Marine wife this is my favorite part of my husbands job. Although I'm aware the ball is to celebrate the Marine Corps birthday, I can never pass up an opportunity to get dressed up and have a formal dinner with my husband. the date generally falls in line with our dating anniversary, after almost ten years of marriage we still celebrate when we started dating.