January 2003-The Day We Got Married

When I was trying to think of something to write about for the newsletter, I started thinking about when Bob and I got married.

My life with Bob has been going on for 32 years. In December we celebrated or 32nd anniversary. We were pretty young when we got married, actually Bob was 18 and I was 15, and we were not as serious as we should have been about such an important step in our lives. As I look back I can't believe how really young, naive and plain stupid I was.

We decided to get married on Christmas Eve. We thought this was a really bright idea. Most of our family would be able to come to the wedding. We would always be able to remember the date of our anniversary because it was Christmas Eve. It was Christmas break from school so I wouldn't have to go back to school for a week or more, so it was a great idea we thought.

We got married in my parent's home, and as we were standing there during the ceremony we got the giggles. The minister that performed the ceremony got a bit mixed up when he was talking to us and it struck us as funny.

You know how it is when you get the giggles, the more you try to stop, the worse it gets. My mother was standing to the side and she was giving me "the look" to straighten up. Finally we got through the rest of the ceremony and we were married.

For our two day honeymoon, we went to Branson. Branson was not the town then that it is now. There were a few motels open, and a few restaurants, but nothing like it is now. Plus, this was Christmas Eve, remember? Anybody with any sense was at home, spending time with their families. We finally found a motel that was open, and got a room for the night. Then we decided to run back to our parents houses, because both families were having their gift exchanges that night, and we couldn't miss that, could we? So we came home for the gift exchanges and promised we'd be back the next day, Christmas Day, for the family dinners both families were having.

When we got up the next morning, on Christmas Day, remember, we decided to go find a restaurant to have some breakfast, but guess what? It was Christmas Day, and we couldn't find a restaurant that was open. Well, Bob knew how to take care of his family, even then, he knew a place that was open. He had been there many times and it was never closed, so off we went to Skaggs Hospital, to get candy bars and pop out of the vending machine. I was telling Bob the other day about the beautiful new cafeteria that the hospital had put in, and we decided maybe we should go back there for our anniversary sometime.

I have wondered sometimes how we made it through 32 years of marriage, we have had some hard times we have been through, but I think part of it was we were unknowingly (at that time) following Paul's advice to the Ephesians in chapter 5 of the book of Ephesians. I have always been more than happy to let Bob be the head of the family, the "boss" if you will. Ephesians 5:22-24 says to let the husband be the head of the family, and for wives to submit to their husbands in everything. There have been plenty of times that I have argued with him over decisions, or thought I had a better answer to a problem, but he has always had the final say in everything. There is a freedom in this for me also, because I don't have to feel like I was to blame for a wrong decision.

Also, in the next verses, Ephesians 5:25-29, Paul tells us that husbands should love and care for their wives as Christ does for His bride, the church, and Bob has always practiced this. He has worked very hard all of our married life to provide well for his wife and family, and he has always been much more kind and forgiving than I ever deserved.

So, I thank God for a husband like Bob. He is a wonderful husband and father, and has also provided many stories for me to write about! Happy Anniversary Bob, and as the back row boys sing every Sunday, and mannnnnyyyy morrrrrrreeeee........