There's This Boy I Know Who's Having A Birthday

 A long time ago, I met this boy at the local root beer stand.  I was a sophomore in high school and he was 19 and out of school.  He asked the girl that I was with out on a date.  To this day, he swears it was just to ask her about me.  Whatever the reason, we went out the next weekend and have been together ever since.

Two years later, we got engaged at my mom and dad's 25th anniversary party.  

Here we are at our bridal shower.  Check out my glasses and Dick's wide wale corduroy pants.  Oh my!

On September 8, 1973 we tied the knot.  

We made it to 25 years!

We made it to 30 years!

We had some fun along the way.  Have you ever been to a Jimmy Buffett concert?  Now that is fun!

We even made it to 40 years!

Along the way, we had four amazing and beautiful daughters who found four equally amazing and handsome men.  They blessed us with three awesome and adorable grandchildren.

And two months ago, we had the thrill of welcoming another grandchild, a granddaughter into our lives.

 

Just last month, this boy and I became empty nesters for the first time in 39 years.  We've come full circle, so to speak.  It's back to just him and I again.  While it has been a little weird, it has been a little exciting too.  The options are endless.  We just have to sort them all out and that is just what we are doing.

 

This is his first birthday since January 23, 1974 that it has been just him and I in this house.  We've come a long way since then.  Everything has changed and nothing has changed.  Our house has doubled in size.  Our family is seven times larger!  Going from two people to fourteen people is huge.  We give each other space, but we enjoy being together.  I love that over the last few weeks with all the nasty and cold weather we have had in Northwest Indiana, he has offered so many times to take me to work and pick me up.  After all these years, he's still very thoughtful.  He can still surprise me.  Maybe that's not always a good thing, but I love that he does. 

So, today is his birthday.  I want to wish him a very Happy Birthday and a wonderful year to come.  I love you more than I ever thought possible.  You make my life something quite special and I will always be grateful that all those years ago, you picked me over that other girl.  Maybe you really were just asking her about me. 
Happy Birthday!  Love you!!