REMEMBER WHEN --
DEC. 6, 1957 - OUR WEDDING DAY - 53 YRS. AGO
I was 19 ~ You were 23
"Remember when, I was young and so were you,
Time stood still, and love was all we knew ..."
We met in July, 1957, in Baton Rouge - and it was LOVE. We first set the date as February 14 - that would have been romantic! Soon decided that was too long to wait. So in a little over four months after we met...
"Remember when we vowed the vows
and walked the walk,
Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard;
We lived and learned, life threw curves,
There was joy, there was hurt -
Remember when."
The rent on our first home - a furnished apartment - was $67.50 a month. How can I remember that? Two years later, we ventured into the suburbs and bought a house - $17,000. The payment was $100/mo. That was a whopping amount for us! We didn't dream that in our lifetime cars would cost more than this! Groceries for a week cost $13.00 - most of the time.
We were ready for a family; it didn't happen for a few years. When I was 6 mo. pregnant, you lost your job. What a blow! I had quit mine to wait for the baby. Our son was born in Oct., 1963 - a beautiful, healthy blessing. I had to rush out to the working world as soon as possible and cried as I left him at day-care. Today he is 47; the father of 2 girls, and a blessing to me.
"Remember when the sound of little feet
was the music we danced to week to week..."
Our daughter was born February 1, 1969 - a chubby little face that looked like you. She even inherited your tiny little slivers of toenails on her "baby toe." Now she is 41 - a lovely mother of 2, who calls me every day after work.
You traveled in your job, and I was home with the kids a lot. When you first began traveling, Holiday Inn rooms were $6 per night! I was lonely, and it was tough many times. New horizons in 1973 beckoned us way up north from Baton Rouge to central Mississippi. We were in the country, with a new house on a beautiful lake. All my family and friends were back in Louisiana; I had never lived in a rural area; I thought it was the PITS. I was 34, you were 38. The kids were 10 and 4.
Years passed; kids grew; you traveled. We had good neighbors; I made new friends at my new job; we became charter members of the only church in our area.
"Remember when, thirty seemed so old,
Now lookin' back, it's just a steppin' stone
To where we are, where we've been,
Said we'd do it all again - Remember When"
From my vantage point now, this life of ours seems like a movie on FF; how can all these years have passed so quickly? Our son graduated; went to college 2 years; then worked a while to figure out life; went back to school for an RN degree. Our daughter is an accountant and a very busy mom. They have not been perfect children, but we were always thankful for the adults they have become!
"Remember when, old ones died and new were born,
And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged--"
In the 90s -- our loved ones began leaving us. First, your mother; then your brother, your dad. Two events in '92: my mom died and you retired, despite my protests. Not happy times. After a year, my dad moved from Louisiana and lived with us until his death, 3 years later. A very happy occurrence in '93 -- our first grandchild, John, was born. The pattern of life continued. Two of your sisters passed away...
I retired in 1998; I was 60. We had enjoyable times; nice trips; a granddaughter joined the family. In May, 2001 you had surgery to place a stent in your renal (kidney) artery -- and disaster occurred. Artery was nicked and kidney sac was filled with blood. So began a nightmare journey of horrible events that seemed unending. In 5 months, you were in the hospital more than out; you had another 5 hr. surgery plus a heart attack. You were on IV feeding for weeks; could not eat or drink -- lost 80 lb & looked like walking death. BUT - God was with us; He kept me going all that time and held my hand. At Christmas time we ventured 175 mi. to visit your sister for 2 days; our second night there, you had a heart attack. I rode in the ambulance with you to the NE Miss. Med Ctr and Jan. 2, 2002 you had quad bypass surgery. Could this be happening? You came through. God wasn't ready for you yet -- that was apparent.
"Remember when we said when we turned gray,
When the children grow up and move away -
We won't be sad, we'll be glad for all the life we've had,
And we'll remember when."
Gradually, you grew stronger - gained weight and in 2003 we started venturing on short trips to visit friends and relatives. Everyone called you a "walking miracle" - and indeed you were. The bad times had brought us closer together; we thanked God for sparing you. We had two more granddaughters to enjoy. Our church family supported us with love and prayers during all your illness, and it was wonderful to be back worshiping with them again.
We planned a trip to Branson, MO for Nov. 2006 with dear friends from Baton Rouge. All arrangements were made. A week before the trip, you had a routine checkup with your dr. Your bloodwork showed serious problems; further tests brought devastating news - AML Leukemia. How could this be? After all the terrible times....WHY? You had to be hospitalized that day for 30 days....Branson was out. We were in shock. The good news was that you went into remission for a few months in 2007. Your hair came back; you gained weight; we enjoyed some good times - always punctuated with trips to the cancer center to be checked.
At the end of Nov. 2007, the remission was over. However, the day before you returned to the hospital, we celebrated our 50th Anniversary with our family and friends. It is a Cherished Memory. You looked so handsome that day, and it was such a happy event. I am so very thankful you lived until we reached that milestone - and even 8 months longer. I miss the warmth of you beside me on these chilly nights; the sound of football games; your coffee cup on the table. There will always be a hole in my heart and life because you are no longer here - but I am thankful we were together until we were 74 and 70. I Remember When.
"Remember When" - song by Alan Jackson
I was 19 ~ You were 23
"Remember when, I was young and so were you,
Time stood still, and love was all we knew ..."
We met in July, 1957, in Baton Rouge - and it was LOVE. We first set the date as February 14 - that would have been romantic! Soon decided that was too long to wait. So in a little over four months after we met...
"Remember when we vowed the vows
and walked the walk,
Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard;
We lived and learned, life threw curves,
There was joy, there was hurt -
Remember when."
The rent on our first home - a furnished apartment - was $67.50 a month. How can I remember that? Two years later, we ventured into the suburbs and bought a house - $17,000. The payment was $100/mo. That was a whopping amount for us! We didn't dream that in our lifetime cars would cost more than this! Groceries for a week cost $13.00 - most of the time.
We were ready for a family; it didn't happen for a few years. When I was 6 mo. pregnant, you lost your job. What a blow! I had quit mine to wait for the baby. Our son was born in Oct., 1963 - a beautiful, healthy blessing. I had to rush out to the working world as soon as possible and cried as I left him at day-care. Today he is 47; the father of 2 girls, and a blessing to me.
"Remember when the sound of little feet
was the music we danced to week to week..."
Our daughter was born February 1, 1969 - a chubby little face that looked like you. She even inherited your tiny little slivers of toenails on her "baby toe." Now she is 41 - a lovely mother of 2, who calls me every day after work.
You traveled in your job, and I was home with the kids a lot. When you first began traveling, Holiday Inn rooms were $6 per night! I was lonely, and it was tough many times. New horizons in 1973 beckoned us way up north from Baton Rouge to central Mississippi. We were in the country, with a new house on a beautiful lake. All my family and friends were back in Louisiana; I had never lived in a rural area; I thought it was the PITS. I was 34, you were 38. The kids were 10 and 4.
Years passed; kids grew; you traveled. We had good neighbors; I made new friends at my new job; we became charter members of the only church in our area.
"Remember when, thirty seemed so old,
Now lookin' back, it's just a steppin' stone
To where we are, where we've been,
Said we'd do it all again - Remember When"
From my vantage point now, this life of ours seems like a movie on FF; how can all these years have passed so quickly? Our son graduated; went to college 2 years; then worked a while to figure out life; went back to school for an RN degree. Our daughter is an accountant and a very busy mom. They have not been perfect children, but we were always thankful for the adults they have become!
"Remember when, old ones died and new were born,
And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged--"
In the 90s -- our loved ones began leaving us. First, your mother; then your brother, your dad. Two events in '92: my mom died and you retired, despite my protests. Not happy times. After a year, my dad moved from Louisiana and lived with us until his death, 3 years later. A very happy occurrence in '93 -- our first grandchild, John, was born. The pattern of life continued. Two of your sisters passed away...
I retired in 1998; I was 60. We had enjoyable times; nice trips; a granddaughter joined the family. In May, 2001 you had surgery to place a stent in your renal (kidney) artery -- and disaster occurred. Artery was nicked and kidney sac was filled with blood. So began a nightmare journey of horrible events that seemed unending. In 5 months, you were in the hospital more than out; you had another 5 hr. surgery plus a heart attack. You were on IV feeding for weeks; could not eat or drink -- lost 80 lb & looked like walking death. BUT - God was with us; He kept me going all that time and held my hand. At Christmas time we ventured 175 mi. to visit your sister for 2 days; our second night there, you had a heart attack. I rode in the ambulance with you to the NE Miss. Med Ctr and Jan. 2, 2002 you had quad bypass surgery. Could this be happening? You came through. God wasn't ready for you yet -- that was apparent.
"Remember when we said when we turned gray,
When the children grow up and move away -
We won't be sad, we'll be glad for all the life we've had,
And we'll remember when."
Gradually, you grew stronger - gained weight and in 2003 we started venturing on short trips to visit friends and relatives. Everyone called you a "walking miracle" - and indeed you were. The bad times had brought us closer together; we thanked God for sparing you. We had two more granddaughters to enjoy. Our church family supported us with love and prayers during all your illness, and it was wonderful to be back worshiping with them again.
We planned a trip to Branson, MO for Nov. 2006 with dear friends from Baton Rouge. All arrangements were made. A week before the trip, you had a routine checkup with your dr. Your bloodwork showed serious problems; further tests brought devastating news - AML Leukemia. How could this be? After all the terrible times....WHY? You had to be hospitalized that day for 30 days....Branson was out. We were in shock. The good news was that you went into remission for a few months in 2007. Your hair came back; you gained weight; we enjoyed some good times - always punctuated with trips to the cancer center to be checked.
At the end of Nov. 2007, the remission was over. However, the day before you returned to the hospital, we celebrated our 50th Anniversary with our family and friends. It is a Cherished Memory. You looked so handsome that day, and it was such a happy event. I am so very thankful you lived until we reached that milestone - and even 8 months longer. I miss the warmth of you beside me on these chilly nights; the sound of football games; your coffee cup on the table. There will always be a hole in my heart and life because you are no longer here - but I am thankful we were together until we were 74 and 70. I Remember When.
"Remember When" - song by Alan Jackson
Replies
That\'s a wonderful song for a memorial. I just love it. Glad to be your friend -
Doyew, I just got a chance to read your Journal. It was so moving and sounded so much like mine and Donalds\' life. I remember when life was so much more simple. We had our 4 Children then 11 Grandchldren. They are all healthy and fine adults, so we must have done something right. We raised them in a Christian home, and they raised their Children in a Christian home.As our Grandson said at Donalds\' service \"Grandma &Grandpa showed us the way, that the word may be passed from generation to generation. Now we have 4 great Grandchildren and already 2 of them are baptized so we have more than 30 immediate family members who are Christians. The seeds we planted have just kept growing, according to our family. I know you and Frank raised your family the same way,and you and Frank, and me and Donald had so many Blessings, including many years together. More than 50 years together. You write so beautifully. One feels they can see your life. I know and love the song \"Remember When.\" God Bless you for all you do for all of us on DS. Jerrie
Thanks for your kind words
DOYEW,
I just read your poem to your late husband on your anniversary. It was beautiful!! I noticed that we share the same Anniversary Date. Ours was December 6, 1969. I have not found too many couples who married on that date, and to find one here on this site, is somehow comforting. I know when that date comes around again, I have a friend who will understand the feelings I have . I hope your Wedding Day was better than mine,weatherwise. We had an Icestorm hit the Toledo, OH area that day and most of my relatives who live on the East Coast could not get here. The small wedding was beautiful, and we had a warm wonderful reception at my Parents home. My husband\'s Mother and Daughter-in-Law left for Florida a few days before the Wedding. This did not start my relationship with her very well. My poor husband only had his Brother, and his best friend there. My Mom, who made no bones about tha fact that she did not like my Husband at all. She thought he\'s Italian, and I\'ve heard his Dad was involved with \"The Mob\". I have to say though, that thanks to my Dad and my Dear Grandmother,she came around and made the day wonderful.
As we left my Parents home to go on our Honeymoon, of 1 Day and night, We found my husbands car covered in ice. All the decorations in Crepe Paper were frozen to the car, and when it Thawed the Colors of Yellow and green ran down his beautiful car, making a large mess. I look back at that day knowing nobody thought we would make it 1 year, but we had the last laugh. We had 41 and 1/2 wonderful, painful, sad, laughing, joyful , loving, tearfilled, years together, and in the end, my whole family and his have been close.
Thank You for being my friend, and let\'s do all we can to move on together.
Big Hugs,
Marsha