Twenty Years Later

Twenty years ago today, Pete and I went out on our very first date.  Who knew that 20 yrs later, we'd be happily married with 3 kids, a dog, and a cat in our little home.  I can now say officially that I've been with him longer than I haven't.  What a gift that is!!

I thought I'd share some pictures from our dating years.  Keep in mind that most of our pictures together were taken during the first 8 months of us dating.  I don't have a ton from the other 5 yrs, because we spent so much of those years apart, while we were in college or working or co-oping.  Just to share with you how we met, we both worked at McDonalds together.  I was a freshman at Grace College, while he was a senior at Warsaw High School.  We didn't work a lot together, but I remember a friend pointing him out to me to say, "Isn't he cute?".  Well, he had just gotten back from a trip to FL and was all tan with a shell necklace and light denim shirt on and I was like, "Um, yeah!".  Right around my 19th birthday, we went to a party together at a fellow co-worker/friend's house.  We had the chance to chat some more and had a really fun time together.  We talked a lot more at work after that and just 2-3 weeks later, he asked me out.  I remember, we both got off work and were talking in the parking lot and he said, "Would you like to go out sometime?"  My response?  HECK YEAH!  I was leaving school that following Saturday for Christmas break, so we planned to go out that next Friday after I got off work.  He picked me up and we went to Pizza Hut, where I talked his ear off for a good solid 2 hours.  He just smiled at me while I talked to him about all kinds of things.  What a surprise, right?  I talked non-stop, while he listened.  Not much has changed in 20 yrs.  He dropped me back off after that and shook my hand goodbye.  I totally hoped he'd call for a second date and he did.  The rest is history!  The funny thing was, we didn't even know each other's last names when we went out.  We asked each other on that first date.  Glad I found out, because it's been MY last name now for nearly 15 yrs. :-)  So, here are a few pictures as I walked down memory lane today.

This was our first Valentine's Day together.  My roommate and I took our boyfriends out (we all worked at McDs) to Ft Wayne.  We had a super-fancy dinner (I remember maple leaves being in our salad), then walked around the town a bit, before taking this carriage ride.  It was a wonderful night and I was so thrilled to celebrate that special day with someone I was in love with, because after a month with him, I was definitely IN LOVE!

Shortly after that special night, we went together to a Grace event.  It was held at the Friendship House, before Grace renovated it.  I remember we had dinner there, but that's all I really remember from that night.  I love this picture, because I was wearing his class ring.  Never having had a boyfriend in high school, I always wanted to be like my friends that wore their boyfriend's ring and I finally got to do that that year.  He later bought me a promise ring before he moved off to college, but that ring stayed with me until he left that August.

How could I leave out our prom picture?!  Also taken in 1994, like the previous ones.  I'll admit, it was a little weird going to a senior prom as a freshman in college, but I loved the guy and it was a special night.  How could I say no?!  My roommate, again, was also there that night, so at least I had a fellow Gracie there with me.  We had a lot of fun together with our other McDs friends.  And, boy, did he look handsome in his tux!

This picture was taken in 1995, after he had left for college.  I was going through a pretty severe depression about this time.  Having him away was very hard on me, but having him there that night for yet another Grace event made me so happy.  I don't remember a lot from that night either, though I do remember getting my hair done and a new dress for the occasion, but this is one of my favorite pictures together.  I just loved him so much here.

This one was taken at my house.  Just '90s kids hanging out and enjoying each other.  I wanted to share this one, because he's wearing a sweater vest that I got him for Christmas.  Bless his sweet heart, he wore a sweater vest for me!  I knew then he was a keeper. ;-)

This is the year before we got married.  We took this fun "selfie" before there was even a word for it.  Our dating years were filled with ups and downs, mostly because of my insecurities and depression, but we made it through that and, despite my lingering depression during those years, we had lots of happy and wonderful times.

And, I'm happy to say we still love each other 20 yrs later.  I'm glad to be his wife and have him by my side in this crazy life we lead.  Here's hoping for 20 more happy years together!