17 years ago

Seventeen years ago this evening, when I was a freshman in college I went to the Student Union to ask a senior engineering student if the attraction was mutual. We had to wait until a rather socially dense friend left to discuss our attraction. By the time the discussion was over, it was past midnight and my curfew. I discovered that at midnight we had entered his birthday. I told him I would give him his first birthday present and kissed him.

Well here we are. Seventeen years later.

Tim and I have not been saints. Our marriage is blessed because God chooses to bless it not because it deserves it and while I know that is true for everyone, I feel deeply that we’ve committed many more crimes against each other than deserve the joy we now know.

What I find fascinating is how love changes. I am now at a stage where we love each other despite of our flaws, in fact, we accept the flaws. I know that when I got married I thought I understood loving despite of flaws and thought I was capable of accepting flaws but I know now that I knew nothing and was extremely self-centered. The security of knowing that you are accepted and love even as your body gets flabby and your hair thins and your skin starts to age is a treasure beyond value. I can’t imagine trying to date at my age – insecurity is bad enough when you are a teenager.

I can’t wait to see how our love deepens and grows when we are old.

Tonight at midnight Tim turns 39.



Before his two front teeth were crowned. They were crowned when he was little and he has silver teeth for awhile. His parents were appalled but he was adorable with them.


Isn't he cute?


There are many photos of Tim with his puppies and they are among my favorites.


None of the photos here are taken by me except the last one. These are all photos (duplicates of course) that Tim's mom saved to give his wife.


Senior photos are interesting because they are formal and often lack the personal nature of a candid and yet one knows that the hope for life must be in the eyes of the person photographed because it is a time like no other when one feels one is embarking on the journey of life.


I always thought this was a beautiful and symbolic photo.



Freshman year of college.


Isn't that a great smile?


Of all the photos I've taken of my hubby over the years, this is still my favorite. I took in the college cafeteria shortly after we started dating.