Happy Anniversary, Baby!

On this day sixteen years ago, the former Lisa Dawn Gray and I were joined in holy matrimony at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, on Springfield's North Side. As one might imagine, it seemed like a blur to me while it was happening. I do recall, however, the exact moment I first saw my beautiful bride in her gorgeous wedding dress. All through the picture session she was (as always) effortlessly photogenic, while I did my decidedly non-photogenic best to look presentable. Basically, I had had it with all of the wedding preparations and all I wanted was to walk out of that church with my wife. I'm pleased to report that when I finally did get to walk out of that church with my wife, even I was beautiful for a little while. I was that happy.

Since then, we have been together for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health. More happily and harmoniously so with every passing year. In one way, an anniversary is just like any other day together: we took the pups to Phelps Grove Park for a walk; now Lisa is out running errands while the pups snooze and I am here noodling on one of the Windows boxen. On the other hand, every anniversary reminds us of how our marriage has been a blessing to us from God in every way. This afternoon Lisa's big sister Jackie, our matron of honor, will be driving in from Tennessee to spend Memorial Day weekend with us. That's icing on the cake, even if Shopping Woman (Jackie) and Shopping Girl (Lisa) are going to spend all tomorrow pillaging Branson while I tend to the beasts. In this as in so many other ways, I am such a lucky guy.

As I type these words, Jason and Amy (lifeofjason.com) are probably nice and fed up with their wedding preparations and they're more than ready to begin their life together, which starts tomorrow. Lisa and I wish them years and years of exactly the same happy life together which God has given us.