may 2 - our anniversary!!!

hey! today is our 24th anniversary! Yes, 24 years ago today i said 'i do' to a tall man wearing a sky blue tux with ruffled shirt! (yes, our friends call it his 'hustler, pimp shirt'!) to which Rob always says "That was the style!!!" (it really was!) you know, sometimes it seems like forever. . but in a good forever sense - like 'wow, i've known you forever (28 years) and i'm glad!

sometimes i think of all that we have been through and i just sit and wonder at it all. . we didn't see some of the stuff coming -- like losing 3 of our babies, (1 set of identical stillborn twin girls and the other baby, we never found out - you often don't in miscarriages) we were soooo young when that happened. . Rob was such a rock when i was all hollow and disconnected. . he did everything - picked the casket, made the arrangements, all i had to do was grieve. he took the pressure cuz he knew i couldn't. he's been there always with me in my struggles with growing up in a 'difficult' environment. . understanding what that has done to me and how its affected me. He's been there as a husband who can pray with me and for me -- that's an awesome thing. oh man, we faced the deaths of friends and family together -- difficulties shared are always a bit more bearable. we've gone through some extreme parenting challenges and came out the other end of that long period still married, still sane, and a whole lot wiser and stronger, having tried our best and failed at times, but we all came through it!!! we've gone through unbelievable 'political' stuff at church - together - i won't even detail any of that cuz i'd have to pull an all nighter to do so!!! we've gone through unemployment, poverty, debt, uncertainty, a cancer scare, surgeries - nursing each other back to health - worrying about our sick children, you name it! AND we've watched a zillion movies together - walked thousands and thousands of kilometers, kissed, oh maybe a billion times?! said i love you maybe more, had several babies (all girls!!!) been so proud of our kids and grandkids together - played music and written songs together - laughed our heads off, annoyed the crap outta each other - garage saled - counseled at music camp, read papers, cooked together, remodelled our house countless times together - yard worked, CD shopped, brainstormed, listened to each other (mostly -- ha ha!) square danced - and regular danced, sang at weddings, funerals, put up with each other's 'phases' with support or at least feigned interest, (p.s. I HATE sci fi! and despise hockey and baseball! so those things i don't feign!! actually those would be the only things that i would feign) we reminisce about childhood candies and games together, we have travelled together and with our kids, we have Bible studied, worshiped together, played Santa and the Tooth Fairy (who kept forgetting to show up!) together (not to mention the Easter bunny!!) and maybe driven highway 8 together enough times to circle the globe!!!

anyway, its 1:05 i see. . and this is a heavy over time week for me at work and i should hit the hay. thanx for reading about us. What a privilege it is to know this man. He's not perfect and neither am i -- no surprise there! I can barely remember what its like to not be in this relationship. . and i wouldn't want to. All the moments, the looks, the words, the fun and the challenges. . I'm very grateful and misty-eyed - if you'll excuse me, i have to go hug someone!!

night!!