photo: Holly B. Welch
What a great word for us this weekend!
We are celebrating 47 years of marriage.
No, it isn’t a milestone anniversary year.
Normally, we might just breeze on past
Without thinking much about it.
Except for some of the events of this year
That cause us to pause and be thankful
For another year together.
...Except for some of the events of this year that cause us to pause and be thankful for another year together. Share on X
For those of you who read my blog with much regularity,
You know that Ron had a stroke in April.
It was the kind of stroke that didn’t appear to be all that awful.
He isn’t weak on one side.
His ability to speak is fine.
But he had a few weeks there where he was quite dazed.
Yes, he knew where he was.
He wasn’t always sure what the day of the week was.
But much of the order and structure of his life seemed to be gone.
Actually, much of it is still gone.
He is coming back. But it has been a long road. stop
Fortunately, he is still progressing.
We look forward to a few days away to celebrate our anniversary
As well as the birthday of our granddaughter born on our 40th.
A change of scenery will be fun…once the flight is over!
In my wildest imagination, I would never have pictured the life we had.
And continue to have.
It truly has been wonderful.
With the hard times and joys, difficulties and delights all tossed together
It still has been great.
We have been blessed immeasurably!
Our life together has changed us both for the better.
I’m so glad we met and married. About that, I have no regrets!
Our life together has changed us both for the better. I'm so glad we met and married. About that, I have no regrets! Share on X
You do, indeed have so much to celebrate! Congratulations on 47 years together!
thanks anita:) i’m missing mondays with you…my writing group is finished this week. if i don’t get back monday, it will for sure be the next monday:)
Hi Martha,
Congratulations on 47 years! Whenever a marriage endures, whenever a couple keep their vows through the rough and painful stretches that all marriages go through, we all have reason to celebrate because our society is strengthened and we are therefore all blessed.
Thank you for blessing us all by your example of not only keeping your vows but loving each other so well.
~Kay
thanks so much for all your kind and affirming words kay…both in public and private. they are very touching…at deep levels! overall, this has been a fun vow to keep. ron has been a good man and has a deep sense of integrity…a lot like your dad! i have been very fortunate and blessed:)
Congratulations Martha and Ron!!!!
thanks so much bridgette:) i’ve been thinking about you and lisa…the moms of new married couples. how are you all adjusting to your new roles?
Oh Martha, congratulations! Enjoy your change of scenery…..Helen xxx
thank you so much helen. despite a gloomy day this morning, the scenery is stunning! beautiful gardens all around with flowers blooming and of course, cooler weather:)
Congratulations! I hope you enjoy your trip and have a lovely time with your family.
thanks carly:) i think we will.
Wow! Congratulations to both of you. You are really special to have been married so long . Have a wonderful little vacation.
thanks gabriele:) we’re on the plane now, headed to the home of one of our children. i think it will be fun:) we have been very blessed! My husband is a godly man and has been very patient with me…i am a bit of a hothead. we have had a lot of fun together i must say. we are definitely quite different but share enough that we have gotten along pretty well. a perfect marriage? not at all…but a good one by GOD’s grace:)
Congrats!!!! Maybe not a “milestone”, but every year is a milestone in this day. Lots of celebration today in your world 🙂 (my oldest son is 16 today).
congrats to you christy:) the daughter i’m going to visit has your name…did i tell you? yes, in marriage i do think each year is a milestone…and without being too morbid, we never know which it going to be the last year. my parents only made it to something like 27 or 28. we have no idea!
Martha, Happy Anniversary! Your post gives me hope. My grandma recently had a stroke that didn’t seem that bad either. However her short term memory is gone. Reading your post and hearing Ron is slowly progressing gives me hope for my Grandma too. I’m parked in the #6 spot this week.
hi tara. i’m now on the plane and having time to read my comments. the last few days have been wild! it is nice to breath again! One thing i have learned from talking to the therapists and watching for myself as well as working in rehab is this: as caregivers, we want to provide a safe environment for our loved ones, but we don’t want to enable them to depend on us more than is needed. our natural tendency is to want to take care of them and do things for them but we don’t help them by doing it.
finding out what they are learning in rehab and reinforcing it is helpful. if it isn’t working, we may have to work with the therapist to find out what will work and what won’t. helping her by playing games (the right kind) to help her short term memory…sometimes going over family photos from the past help. conversation often helps with questions that give her time to process answers, etc. help too.
i’m told that the first 3 months bring an early slug of healing, the first 6 months sightly slower and over the first year is the maximum healing. in a sense, you have that window of opportunity to work with for the maximum progress and you want to grab every resource you can to take advantage of that time! but without being too intense…how is that for pressure:) i can get a little freaked sometimes. fortunately, my daughter who is a physical therapist can sit me down and say, “mom, chill.” she does it kindly, but she gets through to me in ways i need it. i hope that helped.
Congratulations on your anniversary and for counting your blessings in the midst of challenges. Your words give encouragement. Thank you.
thanks debby:) you can always be encouraged. my problems are small compared to many but i have watched many women rise to very difficult challenges with grace. it comes one day at a time as they trust their loving Father, knowing He knows the way that is best for them.
Happy Anniversary, Martha! (and Ron!)
Trust me–in today’s day and age, 47 years is a milestone in itself. (Some marriages can’t even last 47 days…). Enjoy the chance to celebrate together, with family & precious grandbabies. It’s a blessing to have a wonderful life together 🙂
thanks sabrina:) we plan to enjoy to the hilt!