17 years today!

It was the summer of 1989. I was preparing for GBS. I would be leaving in several weeks and on my list of things to do was the "breaking up" with my boyfriend. We had been friends forever and had went "steady" for the last 6 months or so. And now the obligation befell me to release "him" since we would have to endure a long distance relationship and that would be fair to neither of us. His response was short and simple - "but, I love you". So, I said are you sure and he never said anything that he wasn't already sure about and we stuck it out. Him making the trip to Cincinnati almost every weekend of the school year to pick me up and make his presence just in case anyone had any doubt about me having a boyfriend :o)

Senior trip to Gatlinburg in May of '90 was quite a trip especially after my Wayne shows up with Randy (my best friend's beau). We happened to be horseback riding at the time. I'll never forget coming out of the woods to the clearing to see Wayne and that Monte Carlo SS in the parking lot. Needless to say - I did almost fall off that horse.

That weekend we managed a short drive by ourselves. Wayne drove me to a park, parked the car, turned in his seat and with a voice that wasn't quite as confident as usual popped the question. I will tell you I was immediately in shock. All I could think of was - I was still in high school! And my life begin to pass before my eyes. And after it stopped rolling - I knew he was for me. He would love me forever. And I said.......yes. Wayne said that was a long pause.

We planned to have a Spring wedding which turned into a Winter one due to exam schedule (I was in college), but hey, that shortened the engagement by several months and that was good. Living the lifestyle we chose to live - long engagements are not a good idea.

We went back to Gatlinburg on our honeymoon. Two kids with aspiration and determination, enough love for the whole world and enough energy to run there if we had to. We had about $300 to our name, no reservations and too young and in love to know any better.

Seventeen years later here is what I know -

You can still be in love after being together 17 yrs

You don't exactly feel "in love" everyone of those days

It's not all about getting but a lot about giving and at the end of the day you realize that while giving you end up receiving much more than you could have even asked for

There is great reward in making a strong, loving marriage - it doesn't just happen it takes work and sometimes hard work, it has been well worth the effort

I may not have seen my worst days, but may be I haven't seen my best days either.

I love you, Wayne. I thank God for you. I'd say - "yes" all over again. And, maybe this time I wouldn't pause :o) Thank you for 17 wonderful years. Now, on to the next 57! Meet ya in the hay, 12:00 sharp!