Monday, November 9, 2009

Who'da Thought It Would Last This Long?

My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary this weekend. We were married in 1971. Two very different people certainly didn't seem destined to enjoy such a long, happy, and successful marriage.

We were both "children of the 60s," having graduated high school and attended college in the soaring 60s. I spent the 60s attending hootenannies, learning to play the guitar, marching in protest rallies and listening to the music. My husband spent the 60s studying and planning his future. How many other physicians do you know who have an AB undergrad degree with Honors in English? Wisely taking sufficient science for his pre-med, he felt this might be his last chance to read and enjoy English. He thinks things through like that.

He was always (and still is) a planner. Not just a planner, he follows through on the plans. I'm more of a dreamer, since you don't really have to follow through on them.

He was a Roman Catholic and deeply religious. I was raised Southern Baptist, but at the time was more agnostic than anything else. Our marriage began as a compromise which pleased the two of us but didn't go over so well with the families. My family was not terribly happy that we were married in the Catholic Cathedral with a priest officiating. His family was not terribly happy that I was Protestant and that we were not having a mass with the ceremony.


The day was beautiful with bright sunshine and fall color. Here father and daughter prepare to enter the cathedral. No one would suspect that a rare illness would take his life less than 6 years after our wedding.





The happy couple immediately after the ceremony.

For so many years of our marriage, we managed to buy each other the identical anniversary card. This year I was determined not to repeat that, so I purchased a "dear husband" card. But this particular card caught my eye and I almost changed my mind and bought it instead. Not surprisingly, it was the same card my husband gave me. Perhaps it explains why we are still together after all these years.
She says: I think we're lost.
He says: We're not lost.
She says: We should stop and ask for directions.
He says: I'm NOT stopping to ask for directions.


She says: Dear God, Give me strength.
He says: Lord, Give me patience.


Inside the card: IT'S TRUE---THE COUPLE WHO PRAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER.

I must confess that after looking at the wedding photographs, I said to myself, "Look at that young and slim bride! It can't possibly have been 38 years ago!!!"
Then I looked in the mirror and the reflection said to me, "Oh, yes Carolyn. It definitely has been that long."

43 comments:

  1. AMEN.

    Congratulations, indeed!

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  2. LOVE IT! So true! I am so thankful my wonderful husband is a praying man!

    Is that Y'all in the wedding photos?!?!? I LOVE the dress. Lace right up to the neck and a little past. Absolutely beautiful.

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  3. ...that card is hysterical, and like you and your wonderful hubby, Rick and I do that often too. We buy the same card for each other! That's always fun. I love you bridal photo...just beautiful.

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  4. p.s. I'm going to go out and get the book you recommended, "Forgotten Garden." I'm always looking for a good book, and I like the cover too (which is sometimes how I pick my books...terrible I know, but it's how I pick wines too. It has to have a pretty label).

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  5. Happy anniversary! I'm glad you guys have been together (happily, it sounds like) for these 38 years. I must say that your blog makes you seem to young to have been married that long!

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  6. Congratulations! May there be many more to look forward to!

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  7. Congratulations on your anniversary. I enjoyed the wedding pictures and I love the card. You two sound like Betsy and me although we haven't been married that long. Incidently, I went to college in the 60s, majored in mathematics and got a BA with honors. I think I would like your husband!

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  8. Happy Anniversary! It's so wonderful to see your young and beautiful faces. True love endures.

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  9. Oh my goodness! Talk about synchronicity! That is so like my blog post of a year ago -- wedding dress and all! And I love the card -- so true!

    hAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

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  10. Congratulations! Except for reversing genders a lot of this could be Mrs T (Barb) and myself. We are on 44 years.

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  11. Wow -- big congrats to you! What a great story, too. Chuckled about the cards.

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  12. How sweet that you all get one another the same cards... yep, it's destiny!! Happy Anniversary!!

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  13. Well congratulations, carolyn! I ended up here through vicki lane's blog only to find that you were married the same year we were, exactly a month earlier (which happens to be my birthday)...I just love synchronicity!

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  14. Happy Anniversary!! Wishing you God's best for many, many more wonderful years together!

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  15. You made a beautiful bride and groom. Happy Anniversary!

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  16. Carolyn - Your Anniversary post is wonderful - brought back some memories for me when I saw your wedding photos (I, too, had bouffant hair "flipped."). Opposites do attract and sometimes stick together like magnets. Happy Anniversary to you both!

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  17. Congratulations!

    I'm a Catholic that married a Baptist. It can work! We (you and I) are living proof!

    Enjoy the ride and may it last for many, many more years!

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  18. What a neat post,.... Happy Anniversary!

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  19. Congratulations and thank you for sharing your history. I find other people lives so fascinating.

    You were a very pretty bride..... my heart felt for you when you said your father passed away six years later. We never know what is around that bend.

    I can remember my mother telling me my marriage would not work and that we were too different to survive more than a few years.
    We celebrate 40 years next year and whilst we will always have our differences, I would not be with anyone else......

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  20. Congratulations on your anniversary.

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  21. Congrats on 38 wonderful years together, Carolyn.. I think couples do better when there are basic differences..

    George and I have alot of the same interests --but we are very different when it comes to our personalities. He is the 'academic' --and I am definitely NOT. He reads and I'm more visual. He's conservative and I was more liberal --until recently when I've become much more conservative. He's fairly quiet and keeps his mouth shut--and I am not, and don't... ha..... BUT--we make a fabulous couple and we learn from each other.

    You two obviously are good for each other also... CONGRATS.

    Love the wedding photos.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  22. A wonderful story, just plain wonderful. You and your husband are very lucky to have found each other.

    And, I love the card!!!! It's hysterical that you both keep buying each other the same card.

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  23. This made me smile reading it. I love your love story; against the odds. You made for a beautiful bride, so classic and elegant.
    Love your 'card situation'.
    I lost my Dad only a few years after my wedding, but am so thankful he was able to share 'that' day with me...I am sure you feel the same way.
    Happy Anniversary!

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  24. Congratulations on your 38th anniversary celebration.

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  25. Congratulations on your anniversary! I love your wedding photos and especially your hair!! So cool!

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  26. Happy Anniversary! You were a beautiful bride. I love happy marriage stories :)

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  27. Gorgeous photos. Happy anniversary! Congratulations!

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  28. Somehow I missed the first part even on my second look. I enjoyed reading about the ceremony; I suppose if you managed to make both families unhappy, you did it just right!

    I'm a dreamer married to a planner, too. (Thank goodness--I'd be living under a bridge with 101 dogs, left to my own devices!)

    Still love that card. :)

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  29. My family wasn't happy that I was married by an Episcopal priest- MY FATHER IN LAW! My family is Methodist. That's sucha lovely recap of your early lives!

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  30. Congratulations!! The card is fantastic:)

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  31. Oh I am so glad I got back to your blog in time to see this. Congratulations...I see we have a lot in common.

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  32. Congratulations!. Happy 38 anniversary.
    I celebrate my 3rd today ;)

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  33. Oh Congratulations to you both!!
    I love that card..perfect!

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  34. Happy anniversary!! Hugs Joey and Kealani

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  35. What fun to see your wedding pictures. I graduated from grade 12 in 1972, one year later.

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  36. Congratulations. Aaron and I just passed our 1st Anniversary this weekend - we are hoping for many more.

    Christine

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  37. Carolyn--I am late to the anniversary party.
    First congrats--we have a few years on you, having been married in 1967.
    My husband and I have not bought the same cards (probably because we get husband/wife cards) BUT our daughter one time cautioned someone not to bother to ask my husband a question already asked of me. She said--they only have one mind between them, you won't get a different answer. Our daughter was about 10 at the time--she had learned she could not divide & conquer us.
    May you have many more golden years together (with your golden girls).

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  38. What a lovely story. Congratulations indeed!

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  39. We were married in '74. And yes, I can certainly identify with the changed person in the mirror and with the words on the card, too!

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  40. So happy for you - thanks for posting this.J

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  41. Such a wonderful post. I really enjoyed your story of your beginnings.

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