December 2, 2019 was our 30th anniversary. 30 years ago our friends and family made it thru the snow to the church, no one objected and we walked out as husband and wife. The reality is you don't make it 30 years without support. The support of your family and friends, the ones that stood beside you as you said your vows, the ones that sat in the pews of the church that day and the ones that have come into your life along the way. These are the people who prop you up as a couple when you struggle, when a crisis hits, the ones who remind you how great the person you married is when you want to strangle them and mark my words there are those days for every couple because some people never put their dishes in the dishwasher and others drag home church pews in mass quantities.
We have spent our anniversaries home with sick babies, Christmas shopping for those babies, enjoying a dinner out just the two of us, had the entire Tbird Dance Team yell Happy Anniversary to us before they performed at halftime, sitting on the couch watching the Seahawks and three years ago standing in the middle of Target while I sobbed happy tears when Josh & Patty called to tell us they were getting married. What matters is that we have spent all 30 of them together.
We both have a lot to be thankful for over the years. Tracy is thankful for all the ideas in my head and that I always have a plan. A plan to build a house – it was fun. Drive all over the state to buy china cabinets, dressers, tables & chairs, church pews, etc. Believing that any piece of furniture just needs a little paint to be amazing. Deciding we can turn anything into a sign or piece of décor. That the dining room needs painted again. That we can always make room for a friend, a niece or nephew or a baseball player, we just have to rearrange a little. That we need to move an old grain silo across the state. That we need to start a business or three or a wedding venue. That we have room for another Christmas tree. His current favorite that I needed an antique square grand piano that I don't know how to play and just yesterday moved into the house. He is especially thankful that I start these conversations with I have an idea or I was thinking, followed by don't worry I have a plan and that I give him enough advance warning to come to terms with my plan.
I am thankful that when I took the “obey” out of our wedding vows he realized there was no reason to even argue and still showed up at the church. That despite the ridiculous number of conversations I start with I have an idea or I was thinking he hasn't moved out yet. That I have learned to sit thru every Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movie they ever made no matter how bad the acting is or how predictable they are. That no matter how hard he resists whatever plan I have concocted once I break out the power tools he decides it was a great idea after all and jumps on board.
All funny stories aside I could not have picked a better partner to spend the last 30 years with. I love that no matter what he supports me, our children, our extended family and our friends.
