Wednesday, December 31, 2008

ANNUAL

Happy New Year's Eve.

This is Lloyd's and my wedding anniversary. We had what you might call a whirlwind courtship. When he was pointed out to me by a mutual acquaintance, a voice in my head said, "You're going to marry that man." So, when he proposed to me—not eight hours later—I said yes. That was just before Christmas, and our wedding was barely two weeks later on New Year's Eve.
Lloyd and Jan, Seacliff Beach, CA, Oct 2005
We've been married forty-two years now. We have raised two only children: our daughter was born nearly fourteen years after our son. Both of us are cancer survivors. Both of us have been able to find work when we needed it, and Lloyd was able to retire in 1996 at the age of 66. God has been good to us.

Sometimes people ask how we have been able to stay married so long. A determination to work things out between us is a key. Humor is another. If either of us were incapable of laughing at ourselves and the situations in which we have been, this marriage would have been on the rocks many times. Another point in our favor was that both sets of parents showed us in many ways that they loved and respected our choice of partner. (I always said that were I to run away from home, I would run to his mom as mine would just send me back.) We stayed away from those relatives who disparaged our relationship.

When we were first married, Lloyd worked for an aircraft field service team that contracted to repair, replace and retrofit airplane parts. His job has taken us from border to border, coast to coast and even to Puerto Rico. We have seen so many wonderful places and met many wonderful people.

We settled in Wichita in part because of the job market here, and also because Tim had attended eight different schools in two years. It was time to settle in one place. Even after we established our home here, we have been able to travel to see relatives and to just see the country. And we have been able to continue the courtship long after the wedding.

Our word of the day for December 31, 2008 is "annual" — Pronunciation: \'an-yə(-wə)l, -yü-əl\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French annuel, from Late Latin annualis, blend of Latin annuus yearly (from annus year) and Latin annalis yearly (from annus year); probably akin to Gothic athnam (dative plural) years, Sanskrit atati he walks, goes
Date: 14th century
1 : covering the period of a year [annual rainfall]. 2 : occurring or happening every year or once a year :
yearly [an annual reunion]. 3 : completing the life cycle in one growing season or single year [annual plants].

Our quote for the day is from Wallace Stevens (1879–1955), U.S. poet. Journal entry, March 4, 1906. Souvenirs and Prophecies: the Young Wallace Stevens, ch. 8, ed. Holly Stevens (1977):


Poor, dear, silly Spring, preparing her annual surprise!
:^)


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5 comments:

  1. You were both truly blessed by finding each other and recognising your 'other half' so soon.
    May you go on to have a longer happy life.
    Bryan and I have been together forty years in marriage forty two as we courted for two years before marrying.
    We've had our ups and downs but they have only proven to bond us closer.
    May you and Clyde have a Happy and Health New Year.
    Love
    Jeanie xxxx

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  2. Many many congradulations...It is so wonderful to see and hear of wonderul partnerships..My Sister and Brother in law were very similar to yourselves and will be married 48 years now...depite the gloom and doom of some predictions !!!

    Mary and I wish you both a wonderful 2009 may there e many more sunny days than cloudy and may you have much health and joy...

    Love Sybil xxx

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  3. Happy Anniversary. May you have many more. As usual, I forgot to send a card, but you know I wish you the very best. Ya picked a good 'un, kid.

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  4. Amazing! Remember all the games we played when we were teenagers that were supposed to reveal who our loves were to be? Do you remember Lloyd being mentioned at all? Just goes to show games don't know nuffink.

    Congratulations to both of you.

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  5. Just stopped by to wish you a very happy new year Jan, and to say Congrats on the longevity of your marriage. God Bless!
    Sal.

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Thanks for your comment. ;^)