43 Years Later...........

We were married 43 years ago today.

I was 18, he was 20. We grew up down the street from each other for the previous 6 years.

We are so lucky, both of us, that the other didn't turn out to be mean, abusive, drug addled or lazy.  It could have turned out any way, really.


Fifteen years in, we ended up with Carrie.  And that was a good thing.  Even though she thought I loved the dogs more than I loved her, she still had a great and wonderful life with us.  She tried everything, went to great schools, always had at least one parent at every game she played and suffered through Frank as PTO President in 2 schools, her homeroom parent in every grade and her girl scout leader.

He was a great mom!  And he knew all the women in 3 schools, routinely met with them and still never even considered more than a business relationship with any of them.

It hasn't always been sugar and roses, but it was never hate and pain.  Both of us always had good

jobs and worked hard to be good citizens by giving back through CAAWS and Toastmasters International.

And we have traveled the United States and the world, paid off three houses in total, never had a car payment and only one check has ever bounced.  That was for Brandy's dog house because I had changed banks and he had one old check in his wallet!

Not many people have such wonderful lives.  We are very lucky we found each other, and worked to keep it going.