First born type A girl marries baby of the family boy!

May 29^th, 2011 will mark 40 years since I married the love of my life.  I have actually known my husband for 45 years.  While in my second year of college,  my roommate and I wanted to come to the ‘big city’ for spring break. So we set out in my only transportation---my parents olive green 1950's something Chevy station wagon loaned to me for travel to school. We stayed at the YMCA in Seattle. Coming from Elma via Aberdeen, this was a big adventure!  My sister knew a couple of guys in Seattle who would show us the town. They picked us up from the Y and took us to dinner at a restaurant called Gasperetti’s.  The weather was nice and after dinner we drove down along lake Washington for an evening walk along the lake. This was the spring of 1966 just before I was to graduate from Grays Harbor Community College.

As I walked along the lake with Richard, one of the young men, he started talking to me about my spiritual life. His questions were very pointed and uncomfortable. I had been brought up in church; Sang in the choir, attended and taught Sunday School, went forward at age 12,  got baptized and joined the church. I did everything my parents expected, trying to set a good example for my four younger siblings. That is, until I went away to college. I had gone through a year of full blown rebellion. If my parents had taught me something, I did the opposite. So as he brought up these questions I had no ‘goody-two-shoes’ story to tell him. I knew I was doing wrong, going against what I had been taught and what was smart and right for my life!

It was during this time as a 19 year old that I committed my life to Christ.  I got into a church that would encourage my new life in Christ. Richard was also an encouragement to me. He would write letters that were like the Bible---scripture after scripture that helped me along on this adventure.   So it was hard not to be focused on him as well. He was encouraging, positive, handsome, friendly, ……But he was also wise!  He left for Jamaica June of that same year, not knowing if he would ever return. 

The saying “Distance makes the heart grow fonder” certainly played out in our relationship. His goal was that I be dependent on the Lord and my relationship with the Lord, not with some man—namely himself! He also had to have the assurance that I was God’s choice for him.  Being a new believer, I had no clue about how to figure out such an important decision.  I checked the mail box often. In those days it took a good three weeks for mail to travel from Washington State to Jamaica!   It seemed like three months!  The day I got the letter that he was heading back to the states was a day of delight for me.  He drove non-stop from Miami through LA up the coast to Seattle. Made a quick stop in Seattle and then continued on North to Bellingham, where I was in school.  

Over the next 4 ½ years, our relationship was on again, off again as I went through the process of maturing in Christ. I graduated and went on to teach school. Sometimes we went to church together, sometimes separately. One thing he told me at the beginning was that he would never marry me without my parent’s permission.  At the time, I made some comment to the effect that if that’s the case, we would never be getting married!  However, over the next 4 years my parents came to love my handsome, dark complexioned husband-to-be!  It was with genuine love and joy that they granted him permission to marry me. That was definitely a ‘God thing’!  

Walking down the aisle weighing
145pounds with my dad

We were married 5 weeks after his proposal. He was hoping for 3 days, but I told him I hadn’t waited for 5 years to get married tomorrow. While continuing to teach, plan my wedding, sew my wedding dress, flower girls and bride’s maid dresses, etc I was prepared by that  5th week. Part of the side ‘benefit’ of all the hustle and bustle was losing 15# without even trying. I was just too busy and too excited to eat!  Therefore, I walked down the aisle at my lowest ever adult weight. 145 pounds! 

Though that is my lightest weight, it was not a very ‘fit’ weight. I never exercised. I didn’t even know what exercise was other than high school and college P.E classes. I’m sure that being on my feet and ‘running’ all day as a teacher gave a certain level of fitness!  Plus I had youth on my side!

So began the new life of a ‘4^th generation first born type-A’ woman to her -baby boy of the family’ husband! Fortunately, he had the maturity of age and God given patience and grace to  love unconditionally this up-tight lady!

Thanks for visiting with this "Babyboomergrandma". My journey continues.  And until next time, may God richly bless your life.