40 years

On May 30th, in a small Nazarene Church (seemed big to us then) in Marshall, Missouri, Bonnie and I made the famous walk down the aisle.  You know, that walk that means you are forever together from this time on.  The word is marriage if you are still clueless.
 
Of course, we really didn't walk down the aisle together until AFTER the ceremony.  By that time the ring (singular) was on and the vows spoken.  When Bonnie came down, her Uncle Kenny escorted her to the preacher and me and gave her away.  (Was she really his to give away?)  Oh well, it worked.  She was given away and I got her. The preacher, Bonnie's dad, made sure it was all done proper and legal, of course. 
Our ceremony was a simple one.  By that I mean low cost, at least about as low as we could make it.  Bonnie made her wedding dress and I borrowed a white jacket from a local barber, really!  I probably bought the dark pants at Penny's or somewhere.
  
We had the rehearsal dinner in a local cafe on the Marshall square.  And the honeymoon was in the tourist capital of the mid-west--Sedalia!  The next morning it was back to Marshall to lead singing in worship and then back to Olathe, Kansas to go to work on Monday.  Wow!  What a honeymoon, all 1 evening of it in a cheap place I can't hardly remember.  No 2-week cruise or a flight to Paris, just a 30 minute drive south of town in a old red car with red plastic seats that made you sweat just looking at it.
 
Any regrets?  Not really, at least not about the ceremony and honeymoon.  We did alright without the fancy clothes and high cost.  Of course, to our families it was still a high cost but I don't think anyone went broke or maxed out a credit card.  My mom did break something but it wasn't the bank--it was her tailbone.  I guess she was so excited to finally get rid of me she feel down some steps in her excitement.  I didn't know why she grimaced through the ceremony.  I thought we might be having in-law tensions already.  But to my relief it was only her tailbone, she told me later.  Ouch!  That's gotta hurt.  She thought the ceremony would never end!

40 years of ups and downs, mostly ups.  I would suggest it has been a normal marriage together--having a great family of 3 children and now watching the grandchildren grow (from a distance). I doubt we have 40 more years in the making so we will make the best of what is left and cherish the memories we have made.
God has been good and we celebrate our 40th in Korea. Our children are not with us, and I know that is sad for both of us.  Phuong being with us helps, of course, but there is nothing like the family all being together at a time like this and celebrating.  When we get home there will be another celebration with Julie and Jason having a wedding reception.  The cycle of life continues.  I guess I should let Bonnie have her say, but for now that is my side of it until she corrects me!

   In case you can't tell, the cake is in the shape of a grand piano.  Bonnie always wanted one!