25 years ago today...

I love this picture because both Steve and I look like we don't know what we're getting into. (I guess brides and grooms never do.) But circumstances conspired to show me that this would be the best move I'd ever make.

Two weeks before our wedding day, my dad had called to share unthinkable news. He had a brain tumor, and surgery was scheduled for Labor Day weekend. We drove to Minneapolis to be with my family during the surgery. We thought about postponing our wedding to a happier time, but that would have made Dad feel worse, so September 18, 1982, we took the plunge.

Dad was able to attend the wedding, his head still bandaged. For obvious reasons, my parents slipped in the side door of Elim Lutheran Church. I walked the aisle by myself, Steve's loving and encouraging presence beckoning at the altar, willing me not to break down.

That first year was tough--Dad died four months later, and truthfully I spent more time grieving than "newlywedding." It tested our commitment and resilience, and 1982 has become the benchmark for surviving things. We'd made it through that year, so we could make it through labor, cancer scares, lightning strikes, midlife panic attacks, rebellious teenagers, job loss, financial troubles, Steve's near drowning, my serious car wreck, various surgeries, and our parents' aging, along with the normal wear-and-tear inherent in 25 years of living with somebody.

But mostly we've had fun. We've been blessed (a word I don't throw around lightly) with great kids, good friends and more than our share of really good memories. And more love than I could have imagined or hoped for on that bittersweet day 25 years ago.