September 10, 1977

Yesterday, September 10th was our 32nd Anniversary. How can that be? It certainly does not seem like I've spent more years married and with Dwayne than the 20 years I spent at home being nurtured by my parents. I cherish my childhood memories and the wonderful life I had with my siblings, cousins, and all extended family.

Now when I think back, it was all in the blink of an eye and I was grown. It is the same for me thinking about our children being grown and gone from home. We take each day for granted and it is not until we look back that we realize how precious those family times were.

Dwayne and I started dating in our Senior year of High School. We dated for a little over two years before getting married in 1977. At the time, I thought we were "old" at the age of twenty to be getting married. Now, when I look back I think we were just babies. It is funny how you think in different terms of age as you look forward to the future or back to when you were younger.

Dwayne and I celebrated the day together. We had breakfast at Hardees. (I love their bacon/egg biscuits). We then drove around the countryside on roads we'd never been on. It was a lovely day out. Last night we had dinner at Sybill's in St. James. Their food is excellent and the atmosphere is very nice, a little out of our normal element but none the less very nice.

Marriage is alot of give and take and for the most part we have had a wonderful life together. We have had our ups and downs and trials just as most couples do. But at the end of the day, we know we're each there for the other and our love has grown through the years. Dwayne is my best friend and I love him very much. Hopefully, we will have the chance to celebrate 50, 60 and who knows, maybe even 70 years together. My parents have been happily married for 62 years and Dwayne's parents had celebrated 52 years of marriage before my mother-in-law passed away.

I am grateful for my loving husband and the life we've had thus far.