35 years later....

...actually 41 years later. We met my freshman year in high school (via Donny's girlfriend who was trying to fix me up with another guy...who I wasn't interested in. At the time, I was thinking "no thanks, I'll take your boyfriend though...)and the rest is history.
We went to dinner tonight (even though our anniversary is Sunday - because I won't be home)and did some reminiscing. I mean I DID SOME REMINISCING...I could NEVER have imagined the course our lives would take over the next 30 some years. I would describe it as a ROLLER COASTER...like any other marriage. Good times and bad times, lots of UPS and DOWNS, but SOLID. And I can honestly say that I don't know how I could have handled the last several years WITHOUT Donny. He has been my rock. Marriage is NOT easy. In fact, it's pretty EASY to "escape", actually. It's a work in progress.

Melissa had a project in her creative writing class in high school, and one of the poems she wrote was "My mom likes to make me feel good"....
I won't share the entire poem here, just the appropriate parts for this occasion...

"My dad's totally in love with her too. sometimes it grosses me out
they know it and try to gross me out
"Let's french kiss" my dad would say, right in front of me
I usually scream cause it's not a pleasant thought
but sorta it is
My dad and I were talking once about all our family friends who were getting
divorces
and he looked at me and he said
"man, you really gotta love someone to death to marry them"
sometimes my dad annoys me and I totally ignore him
but, God, that really stuck.
*****

...that's all I'll share right now, some day I'll share the ENTIRE poem. I have it framed with a picture of us...one of those many things I saved.

Your kids DO listen and observe EVERYTHING you do. Everything you say. And sometimes it makes an impact. It did with Melissa AND Nick. She was blessed to find someone just like her dad. And Nick was blessed to find someone...well NOT just like his mom (which is a good thing!), but someone he loves more than anything...it shows.

SO...here's to 35 years...and counting. May YOU share many happy years too!

self portrait (taught by none other than FORT!)...@ Cheesecake Factory (thanks Julie & Kevin!)


This picture was taken June 26, 2004 @ Karyn & Keith's wedding, our 28th anniversary. The yaya girls were bridesmaids (Jennifers girls Jess & Jodi & Melissa). A friend of mine from high school is obsessed with boobs (literally) - and as we were having our picture taken, he yelled "show us your t*ts"...and Melissa reached in and pulled out her prosthesis!!!!!! HILARIOUS. I love this picture.
Happy Anniversary Karyn & Keith!


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...and of course the reason anyone who reads this blog READS this blog is for the adorable pictures of Drew & Max (as Fort would say - at that time - DREW)...here we were having some fun with sidewalk chalk - HOPSCOTCH. You'd think I invented this game - Drew & Max LOVED it. Of course we had to trace each other too...that was fun...THEN lunch THEN a nap. Which really didn't happen. We were laying in Pamma's bed, Drew wanted a story and was closing his eyes while Max was jumping on the bed - finally told Max to lay down, so he did...I started singing "Rock a bye baby" and Drew started drifting off...Max kept looking at me (in the eyes) and KISSING me...on the lips...like he was FASCINATED with...my singing? or maybe he wanted me to STOP singing...I don't know - it made me chuckle-so he kept doing it - then Mere called and said she'd be there in five minutes....NO NAP. Hopefully they took naps for her when she got them home!
(OH - and speaking of sidewalk chalk - there is a new picture book out - it's INCREDIBLE...the kids at school LOVED it. The title is CHALK. It is a wordless picture book - WOW. Get it for your kids AND grandkids. I LOVE it!)


...do they look ornery or what?????



Enjoy the summer...and ALWAYS take lots of pictures...I'm SO glad I did!