19

Today Monte and I have been married 19 years.

19.

That seems like an enormous amount of time.

Well, it did until we were on a flight to Nashville yesterday sitting next to an older lady who, out of the blue, asked us how long we had been married.

Monte proudly told her and that it was in fact the day before our anniversary.

She told us that she was married 67 years.

67.

She didn’t hesitate to tell us her story.

She was 90 years old.

Her husband had just died on Halloween at 93.

Their 68th anniversary would’ve been November 26th.

They were married on the eve of Thanksgiving, 68 years ago and they came back 

to their family’s house the next day to eat turkey with them.

She was beautiful, sharp, with caring eyes and a lovely smile. She was on her way to Jacksonville, Florida to spend Christmas with her daughter.

She told us how her husband was a pilot in World War II and an airplane salesman.

Yeah, that was his actual job!

I loved hearing her talk.

On the elevator in the hotel in Nashville, Monte and I figured out how old we’d be on our 67th wedding anniversary.

We decided not to count on celebrating that one.

I’ve been wondering what I’d say to a young couple on an airplane about my marriage 40-some years from now.

It would be hard to condense it down.

I guess I’d mention that we met in Atlanta at the corporate headquarters of Waffle House.

That we moved to Ohio even though Monte hated the cold and had to use an inhaler every time the temperature changed.

Which was a lot.

I’d somehow find the words to get across how much Monte loved his Florida Gators.

And Fripp Island.

And how the idea of his girls growing up made him cry.

Ellie and McDaniel on the first day of 7th grade
and 10th grade.

McDaniel posing for a friend for photography class.
He teared up when he saw it.

I would explain that Monte was a reluctant handyman.

Fixing our door knob.

A bird whisperer of sorts.

Freeing the bird trapped in our addition with a broom.

A frugal man with a large head.

Monte bought this hat for $6.00 at a truck stop. He
said there were 3 sizes:  Large, Extra-large and Trucker.
Trucker fit him.

A hero to his family.

Our Halloween costumes.
And our Christmas card.

Not above cleaning up the dog poop

of his beloved Nigel.

Happy Anniversary, Monte! 

I hope we get to TOGETHER tell our story to a young couple on a plane one day.

Here’s to 19 more.

I love you!