Happy Anniversary, 33 Years and Counting

September 9, 1977

• We both had brown hair.
• Today one of us is blonder and one of us is grayer.
• Both of us wear glasses now. Roy has cut his eye wear in half but big lenses were all the rage in 1977
• I'm skinnier now than when we married. Roy is back down to his wedding weight.
• I'm about an inch shorter now
• We just thought we were in love with each other back then. Today we know we are in love with each other

Here is our attendants. Looking from left to right back row, Jack (Roy's older brother), Gus, Phil, Bob (my boss at Pennzoil and good friend of Roy's), Mike (Roy's younger brother), and Doug (my brother)

Bridesmaids: Karen, Mary Madeline, Debbie (not crazy friend Debbie but my roommate), Jackie B (friend whose mother held up the cup and saucer to shake her head no. Like we wouldn't see that), Nancy (friend from Pennzoil days) and Donna. Fall colors and it was like 95 degrees outside. The day began with rain but it ended in the afternoon.

Ah, the blushing bride.

Tomorrow is our anniversary. Roy and I have been married for 33 years. The time has gone by so quickly! He was 25 and I had just turned 23 when we were married way back in 1977. I loved Roy then, but I love him even more today. He is one of the kindest, most generous, loving, and patient men that God ever created. He loves me. He even loves me when I am cranky in the morning or before taking a much needed nap in the afternoons. We have walked through some difficult circumstances together but we have had many more good times than bad. I love our conversations, now. There was a time when I didn't look forward to any lengthy talk with him because it usually ended in his asking me about my goals both long term and short term. I found the perfect answer, to have fun, to be popular and have lots of money. My short term goals were to get him off any goal type discussion. When he took me out to lunch all those years ago to Charlie's 517, we both came back a little disappointed. Oh, not in the food but when my friends asked well how was your lunch with Roy? I sadly reported he was the most arrogant man I had ever met! When his friends asked about lunch, he said, she is the shallowest person I have ever met. So, we didn't have a good first impression foundation to build upon. We went out again and purposely overlooked each other's shortcomings. And it was true then as it is today, Roy is much more fun away from work. Our first date was in October, we dated 3 months, were engaged in January and married in September.

On Sunday after church and lunch, we went to The Amish Craftsman. We found a chair that we both loved, it was on sale, it was a floor model so I didn't have to be patient for the Amish to build and it was delivered today. Remember those anniversary gift guides, what you give each other depending on how many years you've been married? Well, 33 falls in between 30, pearls or diamonds, and 35, jade or coral. So we decided oak is what you give one another for a 33 year anniversary. Roy just wished me a Happy Anniversary because I just emailed him to let him know it had been delivered.

Our new chair.

Picture me reading here. I can see me there in the cold, I mean cool winter months with a hot cup of tea or coffee, a book and Buddy on my lap.

I'm sitting here re-reading this post. I wish I could be all mushy, gushy but that's not me. I'm a sentimental type that treasures things in my heart. I treasure and cherish Roy. I love him! He made me a Monarch and there ain't nothing wrong at all with that.