It is Suzy and my 35th year of marriage. We come from two sets of parents whose marriage lasted and is lasting their whole lives. This means we come from a gene pool with a predisposition towards establishing, maintaining and even thriving in life long commitments. So I thought I ‘d celebrate this Valentine’s Day sharing some of my favorite pictures of my soul mate.
This is a picture of the dress that Suzy made for our first Homecoming Dance when we were in high school. Suzy has sewn so many dresses, outfits, and even wedding dresses now. But this was the first one that she did after taking a sewing class in her Sophomore year.
We did everything together from the beginning of our relationship. Whether it was a movie, going to the mall, or visiting a car show, we did it together. I worked in a grocery story in my Senior year of high school when I met Suzy. She got a $10 a week allowance. So we had some money to do the things we wanted to. We met when I was 17 and she was 15.
I went to college the second year of our relationship but that did not stop us from dating. I would ride my ten-speed bicycle year around from the University of Minnesota to Suzy’s house. It was a ten minute ride, if I hit all the downtown traffic lights just right. And the bus system in the Minneapolis area was so cheap and reliable that I remember thinking at the time I would never need to buy a car.
Because we were both in band, we were doing bandee things like concerts, pep bands, and the like. Suzy played clarinet and I played alto sax. The big concert of the year was the Smash concert with dancing, skits, and music. Both of us loved preparing for and performing in the Varsity Band Smash.
Our first year of marriage was spent in Germany. We saw some fabulous things and had our first child Josie. We were and are intrepid travelers. As a poor enlisted family in the Army, we found a way to visit much of Germany and Paris France. Then we came back to the US for me to finish college.
Now after a ~28 year hiatus from performance music, we are both in bands together again having started back up in music after the kids left to start their families. We are still visiting exotic parts of the world. And we are still working, keeping busy with our projects, and doing things that we love to do. Every year we spend together brings new experiences and memories.
I always told my kids to find a spouse who was a fine cook. It was a running gag. Suzy is a fine cook, but that really is just a small perk of our multifaceted relationship. I also recommended that you find someone they could talk to, someone who would become your best friend in life. And finally, I suggested to my kids that they find someone who was a strong personality vice a needy person. Smart, talented, and complete with very good people skills, Suzy was a fine example for my kids to consider.
I am very thankful that I found my soul mate at such a young age. I feel so fortunate to have married such a fine and beautiful woman. I truly believe that life would not have been the same for me had I not found Suzy. Thank you Suzy, happy Valentine’s Day.
The Bis Key Chronicles 