Legal or Not: 30 Years Today!

August 21, 1982 - me & that young man above were married in a little Baptist Church where I grew up - by...of all things....a female Methodist minister!    Ha!  (Some in my family said it wasn't really legal!)  It should be no surprise that we beat the odds - and 30 years later, we're still married.....still good friends......and I still adore him.

With our kids married or off at school -  the focus in our home has once again returned to "just us." It's pretty cool that we're okay with that.     We started out 30 years ago in love - and today, we still are...

In honor of our anniversary, here's some of the  reasons I'm thankful for my sweet man:

The big one!   I'm thankful you love Jesus.

He  brought us together all those years ago & keeps our love growing.   Simple and true.

I'm thankful for your patience.

Plenty of examples of this, but one of the more critical ones in our story came just before college.  I was doubting the wisdom of only dating just one guy.   Yeah.  My head was turned by a "player" lifeguard who showed me momentary attention.  I broke up with you for the summer.   You felt I was worth waiting on, and you did. At the end of the summer, the lifeguard had long since moved onto someone else and you were there waiting for me.   VERRY lucky me.

I'm thankful for your friendship.

We'd rather be with each other, than anyone else one.  You're my best friend - and when we're apart....well, I don't like being apart...let's leave it at that!

I'm thankful you do the shopping at Wal-Mart.

It doesn't matter if others judge.  In this house, I cut the grass.  You venture into the bottomless retail pit called Wal-Mart to retrieve groceries every week.   It works for us!


I'm thankful that you always offer me the last of your last french fries at Chic-Fil-A.

Even if I say "...oh, you finish them..." we both know I don't mean it -- and you wait with a smile while I go in for the last one.


I'm thankful you cry so easily.

It's an usual and tender trait to see a man cry as easily as you...but very sweet.

I'm thankful that you put up with my cats.

"love me, love my cats."   I told you that many years ago.   You understood - and, for the most part, you have.

I'm thankful that you're such a good dad.

No job more important than making your girls feel loved, valued and adored.  Perfect score on all counts.   Kate & Taylor couldn't have had a better dad than you.   Period.

I'm thankful that you get the automatic coffee maker ready to go every night so wonderful, hot coffee will be waiting on me EARLY the next morning.

Yep.  I'm up a full hour before you, so this is a selfless act - and I really appreciate it!


I'm thankful  that you always tell me I'm beautiful

And hard as it is for me to believe, you always seem to mean it.

I'm thankful that we always hold hands, no matter where we go.

Grabbing my hand is one of the most natural things for you to do.  I love that.

I'm thankful that even when I do something really lame, your first response is ALWAYS to say "....it's fine, don't worry about it.."

That grace has been extended to me many times - and it's always appreciated.


I'm thankful that although it would be much easier for you in many, many ways  if I didn't travel to Kenya, you always support me going.

You've described it as having someone take your heart to the other side of the world, but you've never tried to discourage me from going.   That's pretty big, because I fully plan to keep going until my wheelchair won't roll through the African plains any longer :)

I'm thankful that we still talk on the phone several times every day.

Sometimes just to see how the day is going or just to check in and say hello.


 I'm thankful  that you've never once put your foot down when i've brought home "another" rescue animal without a home.

Okay, you have recently said "no more cats" - but that's only been very recently.

,

I'm thankful that as I was going through my diagnosis of cancer, you went through it with me.

I don't even know another husband and wife that have both had cancer.  How unusual is that?  We even had  to do cancer, together!  Geez!   But having been down that road yourself three years before me, you were better prepared to help me - and did.

I'm thankful that you always do what's best for your family.

I know that many times you've done for us what might not have been best for you, personally.   You always put your family first.

I'm thankful that  you're made such an impact with your life and touched so many people.

And you have no idea how many people that would be.


I'm thankful that you make me laugh - really hard.

That pig snorting, out of control laugh that only you can inspire!

I'm thankful that you'll watch HGTV & Say Yes to the Dress  with me.

There's no pride here.   Pure selflessness.

Finally, I'm just very thankful that we've had all these years together.

I'm one very blessed person to have lived my life with you!

Happy Anniversary, Scottie ♥