A Long, Long Time Ago

There was a girl who met a man. Yup, you read that right. I was 14 the night I met The Man at my Address, he was 23. Don't go there.

The night I met him, I thought he was the rudest, most snobby, stuck on himself male I had ever met. Cute yes - but all those other things too. That was Friday night. Saturday night found me and my friends back at their campsite and I discovered that he was really just very shy - quiet - reserved. There was food and fire and conversation and an invitation to sit with him.

He can describe my outfit from that Friday night in great detail.

Fast forward to meeting my parents - man was that a fight when my Dad discovered his age.

That was June 1980. In September, I lost my Dad to an accident. I called The Man's house and left a message. He showed up at my house and has been around ever since. Every dating rule my mother issued was obeyed.

She says now that he cannot say one thing about how I turned out because he helped raise me.

On October 12, 1985, I married The Man At My Address. During Football season. Clemson and Georgia played each other that afternoon. I remember this, because the groomsmen went to the game and almost didn't make it back in time for the wedding. The man was deathly ill with vertigo.

But late that night, we found ourselves a young married couple. Dirt poor. Me fresh out of college. Him slightly better off financially, but starting from scratch in a single wide mobile home on a rented spot of property.

There have been many times I wished we could go back to those days.



Happy 25th Anniversary to the Man at my Address.

He is still very quiet. Many people think he is rude. The total opposite of me. But here we are.

There will be no big party for the silver year. State Softball Playoffs. There will be no big trip for the silver year. Surprise you have kidney cancer took all the vacation time.

Today is but one of the many days that make up a marriage. One at a time. Beautiful moments. Tearful moments. Scary moments. Moments where you lean really hard on one another. Moments where the distance between you feels like continents. Days where the choices are easy. Days where the choices are hard. Nights where you feel safe and sure. Nights where you pray hard all night.

Those all add up to 25 years of time together. 25 years of love.
We are the same couple and yet we are a different couple now than when these pictures were taken.

I am really glad he was my companion on this ride.

Happy Anniversary Mr Atkinson! May there be many more.

Much love from your little girl.