My Greatest Accomplishment

I don't know how a person can begin to summarize 25 years of marriage, after all, it has taken us 25 years to get to this point. On December 30th, Mark and I celebrated our 25th Anniversary. I can not think of one thing in my life that has more meaning to me. It truly is my "Greatest Accomplishment". The only relationship that means more to me is my relationship with the Lord.

Life has brought us many struggles, some that we would not of made it through together if not for a God who continues to show us what unconditional love really is, and family and friends who dared to spend time on their knees for us (especially during those times when we wouldn't or couldn't). I think I may of even been mad at times for people praying for us, it was just easier to quit. Somehow, we have come through those dark times even stronger than before.

If there is one thing we both agree on, it is that we are in this for life. We have also agreed to not try and shorten each other's life in any way. LOL....I was getting way to serious there. There is a song that I have always felt sums up our life by Shania Twain called "You're Still the One. The odds were against us from the start but somehow we held on.....at times by a thread, but we still held on. Some of the lyrics follow:

Looks like we made it
Look how far we've come my baby
We mighta took the long way
We knew we'd get there someday
They said, 'I bet they'll never make it
'But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong

You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life
You're still the one that I love
The only one I dream of
You're still the one I kiss good night

Ain't nothin' better
We beat the odds together
I'm glad we didn't listen
Look at what we would be missin'

They said, 'I bet they'll never make it
'But just look at us holding on
We're still together still going strong


So, here we are....25 years stronger, 25 years richer in love, 25 years together.

Our dating days...

and The day we said, "I DO!" December 30th, 1982

1988


1992ish Had to convert to sepia, not sure about those colors we were wearing.

Cotillion 1997...man I wish I could be that thin again.

Summer of 1998

Fall of 2001

Fall of 2003

I wish I could say our storms have all passed us by, that it will be smooth sailing from here on out.
I wish I could say we got it all together and have this marriage thing figured out.
I wish a lot of things, but this I know....
We both commit to taking each other by the hand and weathering this life together.


Thank you for all the prayers, the support, the shoulders I have leaned on, and for the love you have shown.

And to my husband Mark, I love you. Thank you for your unconditional love, your strength and compassion and most of all for your desire to be a man of God and follow him daily.

one day,
one challenge,
one celebration at a time......

We've become a family
with a crazy, funny
runaround life.

We've built a home,
filled with warmth and caring,
made it a place
where love and
dreams can grow...

And it all begins with love,
the love we give every day.
I am so thankful for the life we share and the happiness we've found together.