the senior prom... 25 years later

'Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. 

Christ’s love makes the church whole. 

His words evoke her beauty. 

Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. 

And that is how husbands ought to love their wives.'

-Ephesians 5:25-28 (the Message)

I’ve been trying to figure out a way to approach this topic without being totally braggy. But when the pictures hit Facebook this morning I decided I’d just toss it out there… cause my husband is the bomb diggity & it’s just far too cool to keep to myself anymore. 

Every marriage has something that defines it. 

Some are romantic; full of moonlight & roses. Some are a team effort; full of planning & purpose. Some are heady; full of books & deep debate. Some are full of fire & passion & spirited ‘discussions’.  Some are full of friendship & love; like a warm blanket on a cold night.

While our marriage has bits & pieces of these things thrown in, it really can be defined by one word: 

Laughter. 

We laugh at everything. When we are sad, we laugh. When we are happy, we laugh. When we are hurt, we laugh. We laugh at each other, we laugh at ourselves & we laugh at our kids. A lot. I know, it sounds a little weird but it’s served us well over the years. Twenty-five years of ups & downs & twisty turns we didn’t see coming. 

Twenty-five years is kind of a big deal. Not just because it’s the ‘silver’ anniversary or because we are into numbers or anything but because it marks a miraculous milestone for us as a couple. 

You see, we weren’t supposed to make it. 

When we married, we were still teenagers. Two kids who pretty much hadn’t a clue about love, life or anything. In the beginning we made a lot of mistakes. We hurt each other. We hurt ourselves. We almost called it quits a couple of times, but to be honest we couldn’t imagine life without each other… without the laughter. So we surrendered to God, we submitted to each other, we sucked it up, we stuck it out, we dug in deep, we worked really hard & we laughed the whole stinkin’ way to year twenty-five.  

Last summer we started talking about what we might like to do to celebrate the occasion. We talked about a trip to the Caribbean just the two of us. We thought about going on a family vacation to the Upper Peninsula (the place where the whole thing got started). I ‘may’ have even mentioned renewing our vows or having some beautiful professional pictures taken. I ‘may’ have even devoted a whole Pinterest board to it. In the end we took a family trip to Florida to see our son & daughter-in-law & had some beautiful family pictures taken there. It was perfect.  

When we returned to Minnesota, shortly before our actual anniversary, I had a no good, very bad week. Monday, I came down with the stomach flu & then I threw out my back from all of the convulsing. I’m not trying to be gross… I’m just setting the stage people. 

I still wasn’t feeling very well by Friday but for several weeks a few of my girlfriends had been planning to get together for a quiet night in. So with the assurance that I could wear my pajamas & partake of the wine & chocolate from a prone position, I went. 

Imagine my surprise when, after an hour or so, my husband showed up in a tux to ask me… to of all things… the prom. I had missed my senior prom twenty-five years earlier because my husband was gone to Marine Corps training. 

After five months of planning, my husband, the boy who I gave my heart to when I was fifteen, threw me a surprise 80's prom party for our 25th wedding anniversary...

Oh it was ALL there live & in color... from the shimmery poofy dresses & the big aqua-net hair to the carnation corsages given by a motley crew of 'boys' in bright tuxes & mullets. From the balloon arch & the dance floor to the disco ball & a totally awesome DJ.

I can't even begin to explain the gloriously awkward prom pictures we took.

I kept saying all night, "Who does this?"

Seriously.

My husband does. He never really ceases to amaze me. The way he loves me. The way he continues to pursue me. The way he presents me to the world... as if I am precious & beautiful & the best thing since... well, the best thing since ever.

So all bragginess aside…

He is the real deal people! The REAL deal!

For MORE Totally Awesome Prom Photos click here: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-xMWKT/

"Faithfully"

Highway run
Into the midnight sun
Wheels go round and round
You're on my mind
Restless hearts
Sleep alone tonight
Sending all my love
Along the wire

They say that the road
Ain't no place to start a family
Right down the line
It's been you and me
And lovin' a music man
Ain't always what it's supposed to be
Oh, girl, you stand by me
I'm forever yours
Faithfully

Circus life
Under the big top world
We all need the clowns
To make us smile
Through space and time
Always another show
Wondering where I am
Lost without you

And being apart
Ain't easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy of rediscovering you
Oh, girl, you stand by me
I'm forever yours
Faithfully

Whooa, oh-oh-ooh
Whooa, oh-oh-ooh, oh
Whooa, oh-oh-oh, oh-whoooooa-oh
Faithfully
I'm still yours

I'm forever yours
Ever yours
Faithfully

                                            -Journey, Frontiers 
                                                 (& our ‘song’ since 1988)