Happy 47th Anniversary!

Hey everyone!  Here we are, another year older and celebrating another anniversary!  I feel so truly blessed and pinch myself often as a reminder of just how lucky I am to have found this outstanding man, who loves me in spite of my many quirks.

Blushing bride!

Oh, wow, I was young and teensy!  I cannot believe that dress was a Size 6!

Here we are with two of the most precious people in my life, my grandparents.  Hubby's grandparents died when he was quite young, so he didn't mind that my grandparents "scooped" him in and loved him as their own.  He was pretty crazy about them, too!  I am so grateful that our children got to meet and spend even a small bit of time with their wonderful Great-Grandparents.  I think about them often and hope they are looking down on our family and feeling happy.

Don't you just love the cute little hat?  Well, I was wearing gloves, too!  This "Going Away" outfit created some giggles when I had to go into a pharmacy a couple of hours into our trip to purchase my birth control pills that I had forgotten to pack -- oh, yes, the pharmacist was quite amused!

This past year has been quite the wild ride, physically and emotionally.  The loss of several friends and family, and my own diagnosis of breast cancer would put a monumental strain on anyone.  What could make some relationships weak, proved to strengthen ours.  I've said many times over the course of chemo, surgery and radiation, that this man is my rock; without his love and strength, my cancer journey would have been so much more difficult and could have had a far different outcome.

Now, looking at 47 years, I am so happy to have had this wonderful man in my life for all these many years.  We have weathered many storms, celebrated wonderful events like the birth of both of our children and our children's children, provided solace in times of need; and through everything, have remained strong for each other.  People always seem so shocked when we say we've been married for so many years and often ask what our secret is.  I don't think there is a secret to a good marriage, but my advice, if anyone wants to know is:

                                                     a)  Be good friends

                                                     b)  Be honest, but not hurtful, & trust each other

                                                     c)   Love deeply 

                                                     d)   Forgive and forget petty issues

                                                     e)   Be willing to say "I'm sorry" and mean it

Would I marry this sweet man all over again?  You betcha'!