Happy Anniversary to Us!!

25 years. The silver anniversary. I think they call it that because being married to the same person for 25 years gives you silver hair. At least being married to Troy it does.

And it all started with this:



That phone call from El Paso TX asking me out on a date. 8 months in advance. This picture really is me talking to Troy, but I don't believe it is me on THAT particular phone call. What I love most about this picture is the cool olive green phone with a cord attached. Remember those? How retro. I talked on this phone so much that my brother found it completely appropriate to take a picture of me yapping my brains out. Apparently Troy and I were not to the point of whispering sweet nothings to each other but I'm pretty sure I hadn't farted on him yet.

He surprised me in June on a weekend leave. What a whirlwind of a weekend! I broke a date with some other guy after Troy showed up on my doorstep. Well, Linda did it for me. I remember his name was Jim and Linda told him that I was sick. In a way I guess I was. Sick in Love! (Wow. That was cheesy.) Troy took me to dinner at his favorite local Chinese restaurant. Then the memorable fart happened. The next day we spent the day at his parent's house swimming and such. That night he proposed. Well, sort of. I said yes....had to face Jim with a ring on my finger after my whirlwind weekend...and 6 months later we got married.



Man, we were young! And skinny. And Troy had hair. I was 19 and Troy had just turned 21. My oldest son is currently 6 months older than Troy was back then and I think I would seriously throw up if he told me he was getting married. My middle child is currently the same age as I was and I think I would seriously throw up if he told me he was getting married. And Troy is never letting our daughter get married so I'm safe there.

Man, we were young! It was all just romantic and warm and fuzzy and new and exciting, though. Just right for young kids who knew everything. We thought. We learned a lot those first few years. We learned even more after child one...then two...then SURPRISE! child three.

3 children through the teen years, 11 jobs, 10 cars, 18 pets (that I can actually remember), 9 rented homes, 1 purchased home and one life-changing motorcycle accident later....



We've changed a bit. Both inside and out. And we are always growing and learning and finding new ways to tolerate each other. But one thing is certain. There is always love. There is always determination to see through the changes.

There is always us.

Imperfect.

Comfortable.

Realistic.

In love....and working towards the next 25 years.