25 Years Together!

On April 10, 2007, my husband and I celebrated our 25th anniversary together. Where did those years go that passed by so quickly? Just what had we done or accomplished in those years since saying "I do?" I started making a list and was rather amazed as I quickly came up with 12 things right off the top of my head.

1. We gave birth to four sons who are our pride and joy. Our early married life was spent having babies – to where we are today of being on the verge of experiencing the empty nest syndrome as our youngest prepares to graduate from high school this year. It’s been a great experience of rearing our children that we wouldn’t trade for anything. They are very polite and respectable young Christian men and we are so proud of them.
2. When our youngest was about two years old, we realized how we had outgrown our small house and started our quest to put on an addition and remodel the old part of it. It took us 3 ½ years to do it, but we did it ourselves working side by side with each other.
3. My husband has worked at the same job for over 25 years at a plant that manufactures shingles and other roofing products. We have survived those years with him working rotating shifts every week and experiencing many disappointments when he wasn’t able to attend something such as an event one of our sons was involved in or a family get-together. We even went through a horrible experience of him almost getting his hand cut off at work and several months of therapy.
4. We supported our sons through 3 ½ years of training to become 1st Degree Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do. We were very proud of them each and every time they attained a new belt rank.
5. We took our four boys and went on a major 10-day family vacation to the Black Hills of South Dakota after the oldest son’s graduation from high school. We knew that might be the last time to go on such an outing before the boys were all gone from home. We had a blast!
6. We have been foster parents for about nine years – taking in 40 some kids in that time. Some kids stayed for less than a week, but others had stayed for nearly two years. Yes, there have been challenges along the way with most of the kids we’ve taken in, but it is our hope that we gave them a good home and have been a positive impact on their lives.
7. Getting our kids through college has been in the process for the last six years. They all are or have attended the same technical college in the construction trades. The two that have graduated have good jobs as a result of their education. Two down – two to go!
8. We have been able to see one of our sons get married to date. It is our prayer that all four of our sons find a wife that makes them very happy and that they can have as many years together as my husband and I have.
9. In our years together, we were saddened by the loss of both of my husband’s parents – we miss them a lot. On the other hand, we were able to help my parents celebrate 50 years together with an anniversary party in February 2007. Not many couples get to reach that milestone and we are so happy for them.
10. A great joy that has happened in the last couple of years we’ve been together is that of becoming grandparents. First of all came a grandson through our son’s adoption of a little boy that belonged to our daughter-in-law. Less than a year later, we experienced the joy of the birth of our granddaughter. It’s great being a grandparent! A recent song of "Small Town Southern Man" by Alan Jackson says it best in the chorus with, "The greatest contribution is the ones you leave behind."
11. My husband has been able to start a part-time job with his own construction business. After his hand accident on his full-time job, we were afraid he may not be able to pursue that dream of his. But with many months of therapy and 80% usage back, his business is growing with people wanting him to do jobs for them. What makes it even more special is that our sons have been able to step in and help on the projects since they have been to college to learn the construction trades.
12. I have been able to be a stay-at-home mom while all of our kids have been in school. It’s allowed me to help some with the construction business. I also have a cake decorating business and have been in several retail sales businesses. But the best has been starting my online businesses, which has allowed me to earn money online while being at home.

This list is just some of the highlights of our lives. There have been many other events that compile the make up of the 25 years my husband and I have had together. But what holds them all together like glue is the love we have for each other. Just as Faith Hill has sung "I am so blessed" in one of her popular songs, God has blessed us richly!

Author: Linda Dougherty
Specializes in working with people to show them how to market effectively to earn money online.

http://www.internettowealth/