How is it possible?

 

We got married on June 17, 1972 – Jim and Deanna

We’ve always been called Jim and Deanna – never Deanna and Jim.  Strange how that works.  If I say something about friends, it is always Rita and Leon, or Patti and Gerard.  Anyway, we are known as Jim and Deanna.

38 years, 3 kids, and 10 grandkids later, we are still going strong.

Oh, I’m not going to pretend we didn’t have our ups and downs.  Little things, like him giving me a broom for one of our anniversaries, tend to cause a ruckus.  In his defense, I did mention the day before that I needed a new broom.

I think I tested the “for worse” part of our vows when I dumped a glass of wine over his head.  For the life of me I can no longer remember the words that caused such anger.  But I do remember he calmly got up and cleaned himself up and then cleaned the mess up too.  Fortunately, we laugh about it today.

The fact that he is sensitive helps a lot.  He makes me cry almost every Christmas.   It’s always a good cry.  Like the time I had lost the diamond in my wedding ring.  Rather than replace it, I was wearing a gold band.  He made me cry when he replaced the diamond as my Christmas present.  That is just one of many good cries.

 

He sorely tested my patience when I asked him to go on a business trip to San Jose with me.  He whined and worried like an old mother hen.  Finally, on our way to the KC airport,  I threatened to leave him on the side of the road.  That finally hushed him up.  And now… we both adore traveling.

He likes to shop as much as I hate it.  If I really need an outfit for something, I take him with me – otherwise, I am likely to come home empty handed.

And building this house.  Oh my gosh!  We moved into the basement before the upstairs was even properly closed in.  The second morning after we moved in, I discovered Julie, barely one at the time, on the “storage side” of the basement, ready to pick up a little green garter snake. 

Then there was this little gotcha called breast cancer.  He was by my side every step of the way.  He held my head when I was puking.  He sat in the waiting room, during my many operations, waiting to hear that I was once again going to be ok.  He made me laugh when I wanted to cry.  And he never once expressed doubt that God was walking along with us on this crazy journey we were on. 

We are stronger because of everything we’ve been through together.

Hey Jim, when you read this, just know that I love you very much!  Happy Anniversary.