49 Years Together

Today is our 49th wedding anniversary.

Yep, we were young once.

Back then, in March 1969, Tom and I were teaching across the hall from each other at Mount View Elementary School.  It was my third year there, and Tom's second. He had transferred there after three years in another district elementary. 

I had my eyes on another guy that first year that Tom arrived on the scene, but that other guy thing didn't work out, thankfully. My life would have been a whole lot different with him, and not nearly as great as it has been with Tom. 

We started dating that summer after we met, just very casual stuff, and when we returned to school in the fall, we worked at not letting anyone know we were seeing each other outside of school. One little girl in my fourth grade class did see us together though, and we swore her to secrecy. 

I would say that Tom fell in love with me before I did with him, but it was about a month after he told me he loved me that I finished my careful thought process and decided I loved him too. I know that sounds unromantic, but that is how it was. I was raised to be a very practical girl, and as an introvert, I needed to be sure of myself. 

Tom was so funny. It was in November that I told him I loved him too and he immediately said, "Let's get married!" And we pretty much did. 

We shopped for rings together. He gave me my ring the night before we left for Christmas break, and we announced our engagement that last day. It was a wild and crazy day, with staff and our students, his fifth graders and my fourth graders, all abuzz. 

Christmas was divided between my family in Oregon, who had not met Tom, and his family in Puyallup. Then after Christmas it snowed, lots! We decided to get married at spring break, and we began to plan our wedding, with some extra vacation days since schools were closed for snow days.

And so it was that on Saturday, March 29th, 1969, we were married in Tom's family church in Puyallup, with our families, friends, and many of our students in attendance. We finished out the school year, and then, since married couples were not allowed to work in the same school, I transferred to another building that fall. 

Since this is the 49th anniversary, we have nothing special planned, except we will go out to dinner, after a day of our usual walking and exercising and working in the yard. 

Next year is the big one. I have no idea what we'll do.