Monday, June 04, 2007

Nineteen Years and Counting

Nineteen years ago today Todd and I were married. It truly was one of the happiest days of my life. Two years before our wedding Todd had moved from Southern California to Arkansas where he had multitudes of aunts, uncles and cousins. At that time I was twenty and he was twenty-one and 1600 miles just seemed too far to maintain a relationship. So we broke up. However, we still wrote letters and talked on the phone weekly. He dated. I dated. We were both miserable.

Every time I got ready for a date I would wish it was Todd I was going out with. It was horrible. I finally decided I had to tell him we couldn’t go on like we were. Either we had a relationship or we didn’t. And if we didn’t I couldn’t talk to him anymore because it was too hard.

When the phone rang at its usual time I took a deep breath and answered, prepared to tell him what I had to. But before I had a chance he said, “I can’t take this any more. Will you move out here?” That filled me with bubbles of giddiness. Truly. Bubbles. Not just any bubbles. Giddy bubbles.

But as thrilled as I was at his unhappiness (I know that sounds awful, but that’s the truth of it), I wasn’t about to pull up stakes and move 1600 miles away from everything and everyone I knew. So six months after he moved I went to visit. I wanted to know if our feelings had been romanticized by the long distance or if they were the real thing.

They were, as it turns out, the real thing. So we got engaged with plans to marry the next summer when he was out of school. But I had a great job and was getting great experience and was trying to finish school myself. And I guess I freaked out a little. So we set the date for June 4, 1988.

A two year long distance romance is not something I would necessarily recommend. However, by the time we did get married we were as sure as you can be. We both knew this was exactly what we wanted.

Ah… So young, so in love… (This isn't actually the picture I wanted to post. I hate to admit this - mostly because my mom reads this blog and now she'll know - but I can't find my wedding album. I know it's around here somewhere in a box. And I don't have an excuse for not finding it yet because we moved in a year ago yesterday. But I'm sad to say I haven't finished unpacking. OH! But I did find the box of books I've been wanting for the last several months.)

It’s been a wonderful 19 years. Oh, we’ve hit a few bumps here and there, but nothing that any marriage doesn’t go through. Especially when you’re still growing up. LOL! And I’m looking forward to seeing what the next 19 years bring. I know when we got married I didn’t think I could love him any more. But I was wrong. So I wonder how I’ll feel about him in another 19 years.

Katie has a play off game tonight so we’ll be celebrating with hot dogs and sodas from the concession stand. It just doesn’t get more romantic than that. Someday when we have the time we’ll truly celebrate by going out to a nice dinner and just spending some time as us. I can’t wait!

Labels: anniversaries, love, nostalgia

Mused by Jenster :: 5:10 PM :: 25 People musing:

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