Eighteen Years!
Today is our 18th wedding anniversary. I can’t believe it’s been 18 years since Steve and I exchanged vows. The time has gone by so quickly.
In eighteen years, we’ve been through ups and downs, sadness and happiness, hard times and good times, and everything in between. I believe that our marriage has survived because we truly LIKE each other. Of course we love each other; that’s a given. And we’re committed to each other and our marriage. But we truly like each other.
Steve and I have had so much fun together. From the time he came into my life, our free time has been filled with extraordinary adventures. He took me tent camping for the very first time in my life, for our 1st wedding anniversary. We spent the weekend under the stars - and torrential rain! - in Apalachicola Forest, FL. I remember how concerned Steve was, when the rain came, and the only shelter was our small 7×7 tent or his car.
He thought for sure that I was going to hate it, and we’d never go camping again. In reality, I loved it. The sound of the raindrops hitting the nylon rain fly lulled me to sleep. The night chill made snuggling for warmth necessary. Who wouldn’t like that? *grin* Even the sound of alligators grunting in the night didn’t scare me off.
In years following, we’d spend many weekends tent camping. In the summer, we’d plan cross country trips - tent camping all the way. We saw this beautiful country from the road, as well as from off the beaten path.
The year we became “empty nesters”, I had a really hard time with the silence of the house. My responsibilities as a mother were gone. My children were living their own lives. Steve recognized this and knew he had to get me out of my depression. So he planned a trip around FL at Christmastime. I fell in love with him all over again during that week. I realized that Steve was not only a wonderful partner and father to my sons - but also a fantastic guy to hang out with.
Since then, we have had many adventures together. We love road trips and scenic drives. We’re comfortable in our silence. Our personalities mesh perfectly. We love each other and like each other. He is truly my best friend, and I entrust him with my life… my soul… my heart.
I always wanted a “happily ever after”. I found that in Steve 18 years ago.
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I’ve been very busy, and have been taking a lot of photos. It’s going to take some time for me to edit them and resize them for posting here.
Last night, we had the most awesome aurora display. It was unlike anything I had ever witnessed before. I took a bunch of photos and I’m so pleased with the way they turned out! I can’t wait to share them with you all.
Stay tuned for my next blog entry. Hopefully I’ll get it posted tomorrow or Wednesday. However, Steve and I might take a drive to Denali tomorrow or Wednesday, which means I’ll have even more photos to sort through.
Until next time…
