“I do.” Two words I said 30 years ago on this my wedding anniversary with John.

A part of me is somewhat in shock that we are actually celebrating a 30th wedding anniversary. How did all that time go by so fast?  Will the next 30 fly by just as fast?

As we were driving to a restaurant last night to celebrate, John said that he’d like to try for another 30 years. That made me smile and my whole insides melted in love. While I know he loves me, when life has been hard, he has talked about not wanting to live past 65 or 70.

Not that we have any control of when our day on this earth will end, but when life feels difficult we can sometimes lose sight of what is important. Imagining John at 85 years old and me at 81 should we hit that 60 year mark is certainly something I can’t quite picture. But I’d sure love to see it happen.

I consider it a great honor and gift to have been together this many years. It’s been work. Hard work. But the rewards are truly precious.

We are so much more at ease in our lives together, worry about less stuff, love living simply with dinner out once a week, weekends playing Yahtzee or hanging out around the woodstove in winter and the chiminea in the summer.

Loving our dogs, loving each other, getting lost in conversation and laughing. There has never been a shortage of laughter in our house. We love to laugh and find it is the key to happiness.

So I say once again “I do” to the man who is my rock. My soft place to land. My sweetheart. My love. My forever. Love you, Johnnie!