December 20th, 2023

This past Monday, Dec 18th, was our 30th Anniversary. Thirty Years!  Wow!   That is really something to celebrate!

 The photo on the left we took the evening of our 30th Annivesary.   We had spent the day doing various chores and projects and at some point we took a very lovely walk.  Tim originally wanted to take me out some place nice to celebrate, but by the time the dinnerish hour had rolled around, we were tired and not especially hungry so instead we did a quick trip to a drive- thru for some very bad fast food to celebrate.   It was quiet and simple and perfect.

The photo on the right was our wedding day.  Our vows had just been shared in front of the Christmas tree in my tiny little apartment in Connecticut.  There were 13 other people in attendance besides us.  Tim looked so snazzy in his dress blues and I wore a yummy silk velvet dress I picked up on a super sale rack at the local mall.  Very few people believed that we would last a year.  Bets were taken. They were wrong.

You can tell from the photos how much we've both changed. I mean come on, thirty years have gone by.  Of course we've changed!  Life has happened.  Since then we've lived in 3 different states and 5 different addresses.  Tim has had 5 different jobs and I have had 4 different paying gigs and at least 5 different volunteer positions.  All three of the boys grew up, moved multiple times, had numerous different jobs and met the perfect women to share their lives with.  

Tim and I both  said a final goodbye to all of our wonderful parents and many beloved pets.  We have travelled to so many wonderful places and had amazing experiences.  We have shared moments of great  joy and excitement and consoled each other through terribles losses.  There have been scary medical moments and wonderful surprises.  

Every mountain that we've had to climb, we climbed together.  We helped each other over the tough parts, propped each other up when we were too tired, and walked side by side through the easier terrain. We don't agree about everything, nor should we.  We each have our own opinions, thoughts, perspectives and interests.  But we respect each other so we compromise sometimes and occasionally just have to agree to disagree. 

We share a lot of the same interests and tastes but not all which is part of what keeps things interesting.  I will watch his movies that seem to be largely things blowing up  and he will watch my time travelling/historic/romances which seems to be my genres of choice.  I have gone to sports events with him and at least attempted to follow the goings on and he has taken me to art exhibits and patiently stood by while I was mesmerized.  He chooses crazy, spicy and sometimes unfathomable food from the menu while I stick to the same boring  stuff I always choose and while we may gently tease one another about those things, we are never mean spirited about it.

Together we are rock solid and dependable.  My late Mother-In-Law once told us that we were the two most boring people she ever knew.  LOL.  She was right.  We are not very exciting I suppose but we are a constant in the Universe.  Fire is hot, Water is wet and Sam & Tim are together. 

Mostly what we are is happy.  We are content, we are comfortable, we are goofy, we are us.  We laugh a lot every day.  We take care of each other in innumerable little ways all day, every day.  And we communicate which is one of the most important things in any successful relationship.

So here's to us.  Thirty Wonderful Years Together!  Here's to Another Thirty!  Hey, it could happen.  My great grandmother lived to be 106 years old!   It's good to have a goal :)