So this post is a little late, but I was out of town enjoying my family. However, I still wanted to write out my thoughts on this matter.
As of May 8, 2010 David and I have been married 19 years. It is hard for me to believe that I have now been married 1/2 of my life. When we married in 1991 most people including our family and friends did not think that we would last. I am sure that behind closed doors people were taking bets on how long we would last and grieving over our decision to ruin our lives.
David and I met in August of 1990. I had just turned 18 and was a Freshman at Lee University. David was 20 and a Junior. We had only known each other for about four weeks when my life got turned upside down and I left Lee. We were in a crazy kind of young love relationship. At the time computers were not common place and neither were cell phones. So we had to keep in touch the good old fashion way– Handwritten, mailed letters, I still have all of the letters that we exchanged during this time period.
In January of 1991 I returned to Lee and we were married in May after our final exams. We had only known each other for 9 months and half of that time we were not even together in person. I think we got to know each other so well because we were forced to communicate through our writing.
We have had a great 19 years and I look forward to many more years with him. We have had our share of heartbreak and trials, but all in all we have been happy.
Our Mile Stones
- 1991- Eloped at the county courthouse in Cleveland, TN. Only 2 of our friends believed we were actually getting married and showed up at the appointed time.
- 1993- David graduated from college and landed his first programming job.
- 1995- Donna graduated from college and began working at the college.
- 1996- After trying for 3 years to have a baby and using fertility drugs Caleb is born in June. We moved to GA when I was 7 months pregnant because David was offered a better job.
- Late 1996- I got my first teaching job, but it was in TN. We lived apart for the year, with me traveling home most weekends. On the weekends I could not come home David came to TN to see us. It was a challenge but we made it work. I think our family thought we were having problems, but we were not. David and I just decided that it was alright for me to chase my dream of being a teacher.
- 1997- Got my second teaching job in Kennesaw, GA
- 1999- We bought our first home.
- 2000-2004 Not very eventful.
- 2005- Started the foster to adopt process with the state of GA
- 2007- Sold our home and bought a new home in Canton, GA.
- Late 2007- with no prospects for adoption we stopped foster to adopt and found a private adoption agency.
- Late 2008- Madilyn came home to us.
- 2009- Adoption Finalized, Donna Graduates College again, re-enrolls in college again, miscarriage and David lost his new business venture to a fire.
- 2010- Our struggles continue but we are stronger as a couple and look forward to many more adventures.
What does year 20 hold for us?