Monday, July 02, 2007

31 years ago.....


Today 31 years ago I married my soul mate, best friend, great lover, hero, favourite companion.

It was one of those love stories you see in the movies and think..."oh come on this is too good to be true!!"....but it is true, I sometimes have to pinch myself to believe it is STILL for real after all these great years together.
We met, sparks flew, and within a week we were living together, and we married 10 weeks to the day after we met. It would have been sooner but we needed $10 for a special licence, and we couldn't afford it and the ring, so we had to wait 17 days while banns were posted!
I remember when I phoned my mom and told her we were engaged she said "My God, I can't afford a wedding..." And I just said "Good, because I don't want a wedding!"

We would have happily gone off and signed the legal documents and gone home, neither of us are into the whole traditional wedding thing, it seemed such a monumental waste of money, and what's with the white dress when you have been living together anyway? I wore a red hand printed kaftan I had bought a few weeks before this. We were both devout heathens, so it would have been really hypocritical to get married in a church. Finally mom talked us into at least having a dinner party, after the marriage ceremony at the District Commissioner's office. We agreed on condition it was a maximum of 20 people and only the closest friends and family, none of that "we better invite old aunt so-and so..."!
About the only traditional thing in the wedding was that one of mom's friends insisted on making a fancy cake!
Max was 23, and still in his final year of University, I was 21 and working as a laboratory technician, we were as poor as church mice and blissfully happy! We had no doubts, from the minute we met we just knew we were meant for each other. And over the years we have never had to re-think that, he is my other half and I am his.
The birth of our 2 kids, Karen a year and a half later, and Ian 2 and a bit years after her, completed our happy little family.

We don't take this incredible gift for granted, we treasure our love and friendship, and know how unusual it is these days.
So to my favourite person, Happy Anniversary, I love you as much as ever (more if that is possible) and I look forward to more wonderful time with you!

9 comments:

RUTH said...

The most heartfelt Anniversary goodwishes come your way from me. Cherish every moment...so few of us are lucky enough to find our true soulmate.
{hugs}
Rx

Janet said...

That is such a wonderful story of how you met, fell in love, and married. I hope you have many, many more years together. I love how you didn't go the traditional route with all the extravagence. Congratulations to you both!!

Sheila said...

Congratulations. You are my kind of people. We met at work, I went home and told my mother, I have met the guy I'm going to marry. A little over a year later we did, we waited as I was only 17 when we met. That was 40 years ago. We had a wedding in city hall, with 7 other people, and home to a cold buffet and cake. No regrets..!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations guys!! I know just how you feel :D

Suzi-k said...

thanks guys!

Unknown said...

What a wonderful start...no wonder it's been 31 years! January was our 31st also and our start was very similar! So heres a belated wish for health, happiness and another 31 years for you!

Ali Honey said...

Belated Best Wishes and Congratulations. I wish you many more years of happiness and life together! Good for you for doing it YOUR WAY!

talj said...

Blessings to you and yours. A soulmate is truely a wonderful thing {{HUGS}} xx

Deb R said...

Happy Anniversary! I love reading how people got together, and those photos are fabulous!