This Is Us, 40 Years and Counting!

(Photo by Aww Snaps Photography)

    Sorry we have been absent since Christmas.  But, I couldn't be silent today.  Today is my 40th wedding anniversary! Wow!  It is weird to say those words because in some ways it feels like yesterday that my husband Glen and I met each other in college and began on this grand adventure of life together.  

We look just the same, don't we? LOL

    I've thought about how I could pay tribute to the most wonderful husband in the world.  I've seen ideas like giving successful marriage tips or writing 40 reasons why I love him.  I won't be so presumptuous to think that I know the secrets to a successful marriage because of course we have had our ups and downs throughout these 40 years and we certainly aren't perfect.  And, making a list of 40 things would be boring for you and limiting for me.  So, I'm just going to tell you a few things about us and you can glean what you may! It is going to be really nice for me to reminisce a bit. 

   I met my husband at Brigham Young University in 1978.  I had walked into my apartment on a Sunday after having been at a church meeting and he was sitting on my couch.  He says he fell in love with me at first sight. I don't know what he saw in me.  I was taller than him, I was young and silly.  He had served in Viet Nam as an Air Born Combat Engineer and had been a missionary for 2 years in Tahiti and was now in school.  I had been raised in California and the only places I'd really been were Disneyland and Utah. But, we soon became good friends.  He spent a lot of time at my apartment.  I thought he had a crush on my roommate!  We never went on a date until the end of that school year and I though it was just a fun date, nothing more.  We went as saw Monty Python and the Holy Grail at a cinema that played old movies.  He wanted to see if I would laugh at it!  (I did!)
    I went home for the summer.  A couple of my roommates, Glen and another guy who I had dated a bit and had  crush on came to CA and we all went to Disneyland and to the beach together.  I knew that I only had one more semester before I finished school and I hated leaving behind the wonderful friends I had made.  It was a fun yet kind of sad time.  
   Over that summer, a few young men were writing me letters.  I would share them with my mom and she kept telling me that Glen really liked me.  I told her that we were just friends and besides, he was too short for me. HA! 
    When I went back to school in the Fall, Glen and I started dating and it quickly became serious.  By October we were engaged and 10 days after I graduated in December, we were married! Our wedding took place in the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  We took upon ourselves eternal promises to make our love and marriage last forever. We have stayed committed to those promises ever since that day.

    So, that was the start!  Here are a few other interesting things: 

• We were so broke when were first married that Glen decided to re-enlist in the army. He was a linguist in army intelligence .  His language was Russian.  We lived in Montery, CA for a year while he learned the language.  We met life long friends there.
• We lived in Texas and learned to sail!  (But, we haven't sailed since we left Texas!)
• We lived in West Germany for 2 years.  Our oldest son was born there! 
• We lived in Kansas until Glen's time in the service was over.  
• We moved to Phoenix, AZ.  We had 5 more children! We have 3 boys and 3 girls.
• I started substitute teaching in elementary school after my first 4 children were born.  We never had to have daycare because Glen worked the graveyard shift and took care of them during the days that I worked.  
• ​Thanks to my sister and brother-in-law, we were able to go with them and visit Tahiti, where Glen had served his mission.  It was amazing! 
• We've owned 3 dogs, a cat, some fish, 6 chickens and my son had a rabbit for awhile throughout our marriage. 
• We now have 10 grandchildren. 

These 2 babies are 2 years old now! The one Glen is holding just turned 2 today!

    Now, just look at my cute husband!  I am so blessed!  He loves me!  I love being with him more than anyone else.  He makes me laugh.  He is a great Dad and Grandpa.  He loves the Lord and serves diligently.  He is strong and hard working.  He is smart and wise and keeps me calm when I am worried.  He is warm and good and I am safe with him.  He tells me he loves me daily.  He does things for me that he doesn't want to do but because I want them done he does them anyway.   Okay, I wasn't going to make a list but I had to tell you a few things about him.  And while I am at it I will tell you one marriage tip to success (or 2).  Keep your eyes on the eternal goal of loving each other forever and giving 100% of yourself to your spouse and him to you.  Trust each other and be trustworthy.  Be unselfish! Communicate about everything.  Pray together, forgive each other and keep God in your marriage.  Don't forget to have fun, too!  I am so excited for the next 40 years!