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Celebrating Eighteen

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We’re celebrating 18 years of marriage today.

I was blessed the day I met Don. Blessed and transformed. Transformed from a woman who was afraid of commitment, hesitant to give up her independence because surely that must be the toll taken when one marries, to a woman who realized, thankfully, that a healthy relationship only makes things better. Independence isn’t lost, it’s enhanced. When someone loves you unselfishly, you’re encouraged to fly.

And that’s the heart of our marriage. We encourage each other to fly, to be the best we can be, all the while knowing that we will be there for each other no matter what. A healthy and whole love doesn’t come with chains. It sets us free.

To Don:

Thank you, dear love, for the years of love and cuddles and wisdom and silliness. Thank you for your constant support, your listening ear. Thank you for music and food and long talks and laughter. Oh, thank you so much for the laughter! Thank you for being a wonderful dad to our beloved dogs, for being a wonderful son-in-law to my parents and brother to my sister. We lost our brother many years ago and Meredith needs a brother. You are that to her.

Thank you for being the finest man I have ever known, always working to be a better person, always kind, always compassionate, always quick to say I’m sorry, always a beautiful human being.

Thank you for putting up with me on those days I’m worried or scared or insecure or harried or short-tempered. Thank you for never judging, always accepting. Thank you for helping me to be a better person.

We’ve gone through a lot together, you and I. We’ve lost your father, our beloved dogs, my father and mother, and we’ve mourned the loss of friends and mentors. We’ve moved across the country, with very little in our bank account, just the hope and dream of a new life.

Life is an adventure. You’ve said that many times. Here’s to more adventures, dearest one.

Happy Wednesday,

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Comments

  5. Happy Anniversary, Claudia & Don! Your love and happiness radiates! May you enjoy many, many happy and healthy years together.

    Reply

  10. Happy Anniversary Claudia and Don!! When I read your blog (which is the first one I read every day), I see that we have so much in common. We also have an October wedding anniversary in common. Our 45th is October 16. I love the picture of you and Don…..may you always be as happy, full of love and joy as you are in the picture. Have a wonderful day!!!

    Reply

  15. happy anniversary and many more to you and don! i hope you celebrate and enjoy this and every day.

    what a wonderful thing love is! what wonderful things love does!

    and what a great photo of you two.

    kathy in iowa

    Reply

  21. Congratulations. It’s always wonderful to hear about a couple so much in love. My DH and I were too, until the last couple of years, and now it’s like living with 2 different people. He’s so kind and generous and funny and looks after me so tenderly, but he can also be a monster, shouting, swearing, lashing out, for no apparent reason, and I never know which of my DHs I’ll wake up to each morning, and I don’t know what to do.. Blessings

    Reply

    • Lesley, you need to call your doctor or your husband’s doctor. Personality changes can be indications of medical problems. Hope you find the answer.

      Reply

  23. Happy anniversary, Claudia and Don! What a beautiful tribute to Don – and marriage itself. May you be blessed with many more years together. Cheers!

    Reply

  31. What a beautiful picture, Claudia! Hope you are enjoying your anniversary.

    Just catching up on my blog-reading…I must say you are so gracious toward people who had the gall to comment on how you choose to respond to comments, on your blog. Although I have always told my kids it is a good thing to listen to other points of view (you never know what you can learn or at least understand), this election and Trump’s supporters are just outside the pale. And no one should pretend they are anything other than a racist, misogynist fool if they vote for him.

    And…Go Tribe! We are hoping to add World Series Champs to our NBA Champs t-shirt collection here in Cleveland…☺

    Reply

  34. Happy Anniversary!! 18 years of memories made together. And you are both so well suited for each other. It seems it was meant to be. When you’re ready and the universe comes together and the moment is just right….
    Mu husband and I celebrate 21 years on the 31st of this month. Yes, we were married on Halloween, in costume, of course. Story for another day.
    I am very happy for you and Don and I bet you still look at him with the same look as was captured in your photo. Blessings for many more.

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  37. The exact kind of man I always wanted,and never found. Happy Anniversary !You are two extraodinary people. So glad to know you. -Judy A-

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  38. You are so Blessed to have found your soul mate and for him to have found his.
    Wishing you both a wonderful Anniversary and may you have many, many, more Life Adventures together.

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  39. What a wonderful wedding photo. Shows how happy you are. Such a nice tribute to your husband. There’s something special about putting your feelings in writing and a true gift to loved one’s. Not to mention that you write beautifully. Happy Anniversary! Here’s to many years ahead!

    Reply

  40. Happy Anniversary, my dear friends, and I wish you many, many more years! Your love and joy radiates from your faces.

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  42. A very Happy Anniversary to you both – and many MANY more. Bet it was a beautiful Fall wedding – perfect time for one. 🍁 🍂

    Reply

  45. Wishing you a Happy Anniversary on this very special day! Lovely picture brimming with pure happiness………Dianne

    Reply

  48. Happy Anniversary Claudia and Don! Your wedding picture captures the joy of the day. Beautiful to see!

    P.S. So agree with your thoughts about Trump.

    Reply

  49. I am late to reading this, and I’m hoping you two had a wonderful anniversary day! What a lovely couple you are and I hope you have many more happy years together!
    My guy and I married as teenagers right out of high school. We’ll be celebrating 42 years this year. I am still madly in love with him! :-)

    Reply

  50. Loved this tribute to Don, my husband and I also had a relationship very much like this–he died this year after us having 53 wonderful years together. we also made it a point to tell each other how much we loved and appreciated each other! Wishing you and Don many, many more years together.
    Love your blog!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much, Carolyn.

      Please accept my sympathy on the loss of your husband. I cannot imagine how difficult that must be. Bravo for 53 years together – that truly is a miraculous and wonderful achievement. xo

      Reply

  51. Happy belated Anniversary. Being ” madly in love” is great but I always think being ” madly in like ” is tops. You two seem to have it both. Glad you found each other.

    Reply

  53. I am so sorry that I missed your anniversary this year…you know how much admiration I have for the two of you and the way you conduct your marriage…You have the sort of marriage that some of us ladies can only dream of…May you have many, many more…

    Reply

  55. Lovely! It’s wonderful to have a relationship like that. I know, because I have one too. 26 years married, 30 together.

    Reply
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