Till Death Do Us Part

Billy and I met in May of 1973 at our senior class day at Six Flags over Texas. I was dating his best friend and he made me mad and Billy moved right on in and the rest is history! Six months later we were married on my 19th birthday. It scared my parents to death and left our high school friends at the lottery wheel betting on "how long will they last?"

I was your spoiled first-born, blonde-haired, blue-eyed cheerleader who did well in school and was an overachiever. Billy was the third-born, LONG-haired, brown-eyed playboy who tolerated school and just wanted to have fun! We were both 19 and from markedly different environments.

Several years ago I was approached by a youth group director who wanted me to come and share my marriage "story." I gulped and said I was probably not the one who needed to come and talk to young, impressionable minds with my story. She looked at me with great compassion and said, "Oh, did you have to get married?" That was probably the ONLY thing we did right. :)

We are a miracle. We are a living, breathing example that there is such a thing as true love from puppy love. Our marriage is nothing short of miraculous. I have no dramatic tales of fighting, separations or falling-outs! We started out as dumb kids madly in love with each other and grew to be the closest of friends who are madly in love with each other and the family we have - with God's help - created.

We have survived the best of days: a whirlwind courtship and marriage, the birth of three beautiful sons, watching each other become the godly people we were created to be, starting a ministry together and having the good health to enjoy these empty nest days surrounded by wonderful friends and family.

We have survived the worst of days: putting each other through college, a traumatic job loss, several unplanned and unwanted moves and the relocation of one son to heaven.

This man and I have shared so much together. We have grown up and grown old by each other's side and no one knows the joys and sorrows that have tied our souls together like we do. That is the heart of marriage. But more than that it is a commitment to stay when 'the worst of days' seem to go on with no light at the end of the tunnel.

Perhaps that is the biggest perk to growing old - you learn the light will always come. It may take a while - a long while - but it always comes. He always comes.

I sure wouldn't recommend getting married at 19 after knowing someone only 6 months but I'm sure grateful I did it! Wherever you may be in your marriage today I pray that you will hold on to one another. It is so worth it.

Happy Anniversary Billy!