52 YEARS......and COUNTING!

It's been a red letter day----at least a red rose day.! A day of celebration and congratulations from family and friends as we've accepted emails, cards, texts and lawn surprises!

The first surprise was "arranged" by our youngest grandson. He was very quiet as he went about his setup, per his mommy's directions!

Listen for his whispering! 

After he "SURPRISED" me, he ran over with the real roses---which fell out upside down as he approached. 

His roses mixed with a dozen from his PopPop's make a beautiful centerpiece of love....52 years worth!.

50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

LOTS OF 50th LISTS---until lists are edited & print ready you can reminisce with us...from by-gone anniversaries.

Wedding 8/9/69

10th anniversary---Folks folly but smaall tin cup gift b/c we splurged on the food.Our 13th was lunch at Doeblers Dock. We went on a Saturday for the “special,” 10¢ shrimp and oysters. ..................

14th anniversary was on a brief (1 night) cruise to Bahamas w/all 3 Our 15th in Hot Springs AR at the renown Hamilton House, a treat from friends Boyd and Deborah (kids too just not at dinner)

Our 15th in Hot Springs AR at the renown Hamilton House, a treat from friends Boyd and Deborah (kids too just not at dinner)
From the mid-80s to the early 90s, Larry’s 


Our 25th anniversary was just a month after Mommar and Grandaddy's 50th (7/21/69)....which we

 later we shared our silver anniversary (25th) with dear friends Sam and JoLynn---1994 in North Carolina at Greystone Inn w/ lots of tee time guys & tea time gals. 

position as coach of US Racquetball team gave us opportunities to celebrate anniversaries in exotic places: Le Meir in Hamburg, Germany and an outdoor restaurant in Caracas, Venezuela.

Our 30th found us as empty nesters with a little spare change so the gifts were memorable---tickets to symphony in the garden (though Josh & Molly came too) and a fall weekend "alone" (so no pics) at the Hemlock Inn in NC.

41st  anniversary---at Baptist Hospital for Mommar's surgery, fulfilling of those 1969 vows “in sickness (we include family here as well) and in health, for better or for worse” which we made unto the Lord on this day 41 years ago.

"GOLDEN BUCKET LIST"

Yesterday ended week 2 of our 50^th Anniversary. Our 50^th anniversary will be August 9.2019…. but I decided to begin celebrating on August 10, because to me, that was the 1^st day of our 50 years as a married couple.  So,  I started a gold/50 theme to carry our each week prior to our 50^th. Many of these “unique to us gifts” are still whirring around in my head but the overriding idea is one of fun, mystery and refreshment to both of us as we age together.

The first week, I delivered a golden bowl of scrolled prayers on gold paper tied with golden ribbon. The inspiration was Revelation 5:8, where John describes the golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. This reference refers to collective prayers of all God’s people which are a sweet aroma that is pleasing to Him. My prayers for the first week were prayers for hubby with my request to be the wife God would have me be, respecting and loving hubby as a way of honoring him and in turn honoring the Lord. (Ephesians 5:33)

Look closely to see bowl in right corner of picture with a prayer scroll.

Week 2, the golden bowl was set aside to make room for prepping our golden dinner, which we shared with our neighbors on the patio. They were in on the surprise to see if hubby recognized  the color theme of our “”golden” dinner.

The "golden kabobs were the side for our scallops dipped in "golden butter" along with the grilled golden peaches. 

The evening ended with an “almost-full moon” which appeared “golden” to our naked eye but hard to catch on our cell phone.

Will keep you posted through out the year as we add to our weekly "golden bucket list" journey to our “golden anniversary” next year!

49th ANNIVERSARY ARRIVALS

The day began with appropriate verses.......may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. (Proverbs 5:18) 
I'm so grateful God's Word didn't say young wife as one celebrating 49 years of marriage is no longer young.

Ecclesiastes goes on to remind us the importance of enjoying moments because life is fleeting. "Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun;"  (Ecclesiastes 9:9)

It continued with cards, emails and text messages from friends and ended with "cooper" (for 49 years) gifts  from daughter's family and dinner at their house. Plus, 2 copper 2018 pennies---one for our 49th being celebrated and one for our NEWST GRANDCHILD born this year and a BIG part of the celebration!
Another BIG part was "THE GIFT!"

On this our 49th wedding anniversary, how grateful I am for a hubby who shows his love through "our" anniversary gift. A gift for "us" that he let me commission based on "the sculpture "I" wanted."  A "praise" piece by my favorite Papier-mâché sculptor, Heidi Walter. Each is covered with the sheet music of one of my favorite hymns! (Hymns that will be sung at my funeral one day.

The titles & even my favorite phrases are visible on each. See if you can guess the hymn!

---front...grace my fears relieved, back left...then He appeared and the soul felt its worth, back center...and I'll lead you all in the Dance said He, & God and sinners reconciled, back right...sing like never before, O my soul.

It's more than I could even have imagined. As she said, "there is so much more at play here!" I see something new each day!
Check out the process and read what Heidi had to say. 

Drying in the Memphis heat.

....and kindred spirits because we both love the LORD! Thanks for all hubby & Heidi did to make 48th & now 49th anniversaries so special!

CHOOSE: AN (ART) FORM OF WORSHIP

Nothing like falling in love with a piece of sculpture and having the one you love,  buy it for you. Add to that, the delivery by the sculptor herself (Heidi Walter) and you have the perfect anniversary gift.

"LEAN"---HEIDI WALTER,  Mixed Media Conceptual Sculptor
I wanted to create a contrast that illustrates people's posture in life, or on issues. People usually find what they are looking for. You can lean way in , or away. Some are eager to look and others, refuse. What are you looking for? 

YOU WILL SEEK ME AND FIND ME WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART. (JEREMIAH 29:13)

L

Every time I walk by it, I am drawn to it in a new way. Scripture floods my mind. 

On this our 48th anniversary, I see those magnifying glasses and am grateful to share Psalm 34:3 with hubby.

MAGNIFY THE LORD WITH ME AND LET US EXALT HIS NAME FOREVER!

"47"

How does a couple "make it" for 40+ years of marriage?

Nowadays, many folks see "47" as a remarkable milestone---only 3 years from the BIG "Golden Anniversary!"

Along with a couple's commitment to the Lord and each other, there are lots of sweet, endearing answers to sustaining marriages but....beyond all those, it helps when "hubby" agrees to a "white table cloth" restaurant for lunch so "wifey" can attend her summer Bible Study that night. 

It's really dear when "he" orders "sweet tea" chicken, which his spouse wants to try so "she" can order a different "special" which she also wants to try. A "special" which included "her" favorite dessert---creme brûlée!!!

HAPPY 47TH ANNIVERSARY, "my" man! 

We'll have "anniversary" steak this weekend, that is, if you're willing to grill it!!

Brooklyn: Boundless Energy

We're here---after an hour plane delay, we made it to Brooklyn---a great place to be to celebrate a wedding anniversary.....with family!

Brooklyn: Prospect Lefferts Gardens with COLD water & duck boats.

Lucy walking to Alice's for supper on the balcony overlooking the NY skyline with her Alligator Purse.

"TEA-ditions"

Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. (Proverbs 5:18, NLT)

Today is our wedding anniversary.....so hubby will have to think hard to visualize any "youth" in said wife. But God, our keeper, has kept us together for 45 years.

Anniversary traditions are always a part of our celebration---

Five years ago I searched far and wide for 40 ruby items....this year it's sapphire BUT 45 sapphire items were way out of this retiree's budget. So...I settled on the things he enjoys most---golf and a glass of wine. Lots of wines come in brilliant sapphire bottles. The problem was which one. Not being a connoisseur of wines, I had to have help. I think the clerk was dumbfounded that I cared more about the richness of the color of the bottle than the richness ("bouquet" in he wine term of a oenophile) of the wine within. Gift 2 is a round of golf at Sapphire Mountain Golf Club for an upcoming trip to western North Carolina when the trees will be brilliant against a rich blue sky.

Naturally, I love all the scriptures reminding husbands to love their wives. (Ephesians 5:22) but many describe what that love will entail.....
"....be exhilarated always with her love...."(Proverbs 5:19c) or as Ecclesiastes 9:9 states, "Live joyfully with the wife whom you love." According to hubby, when I"m happy, it's easier to  to live joyfully with me. So....I've scheduled dinner for us  at the Swag on our extended anniversary trip.
Hopefully, this year's anniversary gifts will provide the perfect cuppa TEA-dition for our celebration.**

**YEA! Hubby's gift follows the TEA-dition as well---Sapphire rules for me, aka Mrs. Rand McNally. An atlas, my favorite gift, had a deep "sapphire" blue cover---I now have Crater Lake blue stars in my eyes! What a thoughtful guy!

ANNIVERSARY ALTERNATIVE

8/9/13 44 YEARS! Happy Anniversary to us! 

But.....original anniversary plans went awry. So....we decided to celebrate locally----in our zip code. Around the corner. Convenient. Yet, a new culinary adventure.

Though we missed being with our friends, the "new" place turned out to be a delicious alternative. Southward has only been open a week but.....the chef knows his way around the kitchen. "Southward--Onward" is my take on it.

My halibut was the best I've ever had but my favorite thing on the plate, and it was all good, was the field pea cakes! Oh, my! Hubby's steak and shrimp risotto were also tasty and I ate off of his salad wedge topped with all kinds of goodies along with the Benton smoked ham. Too full for dessert.... though the unusual banana split was pretty tempting.

Though a negative complication necessitated a change, certainly the "fare" alternative was a positive for this anniversary couple.

42nd Anniversary

8/9/11


For 42 years--- it's been a great journey even through foggy and rainy times over bumpy terrain. For better or for worse. In sickness and in health.

The trek to the top. A great ride. A worthy view.

Another "anniversary celebrated."

ANNIVERSARY ANGST

8/9/10 Anniversaries are special but along with them comes a certain amount of angst. #1 is remembering! Then there’s ……..The gift, traditional or modern. The location, trip or just restaurant. The pressure--- for a memorable activity. The finances.
Wedding anniversaries also have a way of changing as the years go by. The first one is often another mini honeymoon of sorts----not ours. We had a new baby and no money for travel but we still gave gifts of “paper” because I like that tradition and we ate the top of the wedding cake that had been in the freezer for a year. (That SeeQuees birth control pill was taken off the market.)
Children and budgetary parameters kept us creative for many years.

10th we splurged at Folks Folly so the gift was 1 tin cup (actual gift b/c budget still very limited) Cup later ended up rusting in the sand pile. So much for romantic notions.
Our 13th was lunch at Doeblers Dock. We went on a Saturday for the “special,” 10¢ shrimp and oysters. Anniversary was actually on a Monday that year. Restaurant was overlooking (sort of) the Mississippi River and we had all 3 kids in tow----also not exactly romantic but they loved it, especially the walking tour we created.

Our 15th in Hot Springs AR at the renown Hamilton House, a treat from friends Boyd and Deborah (kids too just not at dinner)
From the mid-80s to the early 90s, Larry’s position as coach of the US Racquetball team gave us opportunities to celebrate anniversaries in exotic places: Le Meir in Hamburg, Germany and an outdoor restaurant in Caracas, Venezuela.

(I remember an iguana running under my feet---now that’s memorable.)

We shared our silver anniversary (25th) with dear friends Sam and JoLynn---inn hopping in our favorite mountainous state, North Carolina. She and I had our tea times while the guys had their tee times. The biggest splurge was a night at Greystone Inn in Lake Toxaway, NC. I rationalized that “grey” sounded “silverish”---so I booked it.
Our 30th found us as empty nesters with a little spare change so the gifts were memorable---tickets to symphony in the garden (though Josh & Molly came too) and a fall weekend "alone" (so no pics) at the Hemlock Inn in North Carolina--- with a great side trip to Franklin to spend a night with Marge and Larry. We still laugh about our “tie” joke. (Makes me blush just to type it!)
Last summer we celebrated our 40th with the help of many of my blog readers who submitted (40) red gift ideas for our ruby celebration. What fun that was!
Now we are in a new season and our anniversary reflects that---but we still celebrate---because we are growing old together.
This year we will be together---at the Baptist Hospital for Women w/ Mommar as she undergoes surgery for uterine cancer. Though there will be angst, it won’t be from worrying about a location or a memorable gift. This anniversary will actually be a fulfilling of those 1969 vows “in sickness (we include family here as well) and in health, for better or for worse” which we made unto the Lord on this day 41 years ago.

HAPPY 40th ANNIVERSARY---Here’s to 200 years of love as his wedding band says.

8/9/09
I had wanted to entitle this blog “bi-polar bed fellows” or “marriage of miracles” but thought that might sound insulting to our union so I’m embedding it in the text. What I’m really trying to say is that like most of you in a marriage situation already know “taint” always easy, it takes commitment and opposites do in fact attract---but God………………..

So here’s a look at us. Hmm….food seems to be a focus here! I guess we have that in common. We’re “foodies”----though not the refined, snobby kind. We just like to eat.

Larry ------------------------------Dotsy
Time frame------------------------eventually Now or yesterday is even better
Leave at time of event----------- Leave early-- “just in case” scenarios
Night owl --------------------------Early bird
Coffee in am-----------------------“Cuppa” hot tea
Beach-------------------------------Mountains
Laid back/enjoys journey--------Destination Driven
Driver------------------------------Navigator/love maps
Author, Clive Cussler-------------Author, Jan Karon
Spicy/hot food---------------------Mild kick only
Cell phone/golf line---------------No cell
Communicate Ma Bell-------------E-mail
Burger w/ cheese-------------------No cheese, pleez
Spinach NOT T-greens------------Turnip Greens!!!
Bleu cheese, extra------------------Italian/smacky vinaigrettes
Wine---------------------------------Sweet tea
Candles give headache------------Love candles but don't use for his sake
Diet coke----------------------------The real thing
Sci-Fi--------------------------------Mystery
Revelation--------------------------Psalms
TV (golf channel)------------------Not much TV- “Jeopardy”
Beatles/Mamas & Papas----------Temptations/Four Tops
Sports section/spread out--------Crossword, folded-booksize rectangle
Leather recliner-------------------Upholstered club chair/ottoman
Games, any outside---------------Board games-Scrabble & Boggle
Shopper----------------------------NOT
Tennis shoes-----------------------Crocs
Diverticulitis friendly snacks----Popcorn
1/2 full glass/dreamer------------1/2 empty pragmatist/realist
Playful------------------------------Prayerful
NO candy--------------------------Divinity and fudge w/ pecans (LOTS)
Rule bender-----------------------Rule follower
Splenda(diet stuff)---------------Sugar (no diet anything)
Carrot Cake/Coconut cake------Caramel cake/Coconut cake

(Closing the food gap here, maybe)

1 foam pillow---------------------4 squishy down pillows
Bedding, sheet only-------------sheet, light blanket, mama's quilt, coverlets

So what’s the secret of polar opposites staying together for 40 years? Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NASB) gives a clue. Read verse 12b carefully.

9Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
10For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
11Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
12And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him.
A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

If Larry and I keep the Lord in the center of our “marriage cord” then we should not be easily separated. So…..here’s to many more anniversaries with the one I love. I would say 40 more but that would probably mean a heavenly event since we would be over 100 years old----now that would be a celebration!