Twenty-one years ago this weekend, I changed my name and my life forever. I vowed to love, honor, and cherish Jim. I also vowed to care for his children as my own.
With a few sentences, I became a wife, and just as importantly, I became a step-mom to a two-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl. I knew it would be an adventure, but I had no idea the scope of the changes I’d just accepted.
It doesn’t seem like twenty-one years ago, but we’re still together and going strong. We’ve grown together. We’ve conquered the obstacles in our path and will continue to walk down the road of life together.
These are the roses Jim sent me to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary.
Our relationship didn’t start out in the typical way. It began with a bouquet of roses. I didn’t know it at the time, but a mutual friend of ours had attempted to set us up on a blind date. Jim got cold feet, and no one ever mentioned him to me.
He changed his mind a couple months later and decided he wanted to meet me. He found out where I worked and sent a bouquet of roses to me there. He introduced himself on the card, which included his phone number in case I’d like to meet him. I was shocked to receive flowers from a man I’d never met.
I called our mutual friend and asked what the heck she’d done. Since I knew nothing about this guy, I had her tell me everything she could. After she assured me Jim was a good guy, I called him.
We started dating a few days later. We were engaged within six weeks and married eight months after that. I was married to my husband for two months before I’d known him for a year. Every time he gives me flowers, it takes me back to that grand gesture of an introduction.
We’ve had our share of challenges. Each trial made us stronger. Our love and respect for each other has grown as our relationship matured. We’ve learned to deal with things as they come along.
Our marriage isn’t perfect. I don’t know if there is such a thing. What matters is that no matter what, we have each other.
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