25th Anniversary

Warning some of you might find this “sappy” if you don’t like “sappy” and pictures you might want to skip this post.



Penny Candy getting ready for our wedding.

August 11, 1984 is the day Doohickie and I got married. I’m posting this a few weeks early because August is going to be crazy busy this year. I wanted to take the time to honor him and our anniversary. We have been through a lot together both good and bad and have made it through thick and thin at times it was very thin.

So here is to a wonderful friend, father, husband, son, and uncle and may we have at least another 25 years together my love.

Doohickie and I met while we were both in college; we actually met at a fraternity party. A friend of mine liked a guy that was one of Doohickie’s fraternity brothers so off to a party I went. This good looking tall blonde, I was thinking oh maybe he is a Swede, came walking toward me and I smile to myself thinking this is more like it. Some weird guy had just finished hitting on me. I sent the weird guy on his way after a few well practiced stares and at least two cold remarks. Doohickie and I talked for awhile and then we did not see each other for awhile but when we met up again we made a date.

We had not planned on getting married right away but when Doohickie’s job offer was from a company located in California we decided to get married before moving there. So we did.



I am ready for my limo ride to the church. It had rained that morning but it stopped before we were ready to leave.


Both my Mom and my Dad were so important to me so I wanted both with me as I walked down the isle. I was so nervous as we walked down the isle.


The ceremony starts and we are united as one.


Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Doohickie.


After our honeymoon to Nova Scotia we headed out to California. We spent three years in Los Angeles and we grew up together as a couple. We were just 22 when we got married and I know that there were people that did not think we would last for more than a year or two. Our first November in California was warmer than anything we were used to so we took this picture on the pier and it was our first Christmas card together. We found it rather funny to send this back home to all of our family and friends that still lived in Yankee Land or in the Midwest.

We did not have a lot of money when we lived in LA so we used to drive around a lot and just see things. Sometimes we would drive for an hour, then stop at a McDonalds before heading back to our apartment vie a different route. The best drive ever was when we headed to Las Vegas to visit Doohickie’s parents while they were in Vegas. Doohickie wanted to take the shortest route possible and miss the LA freeways as much as possible. So he plotted out and route and after work we headed out. We did not know LA very well yet at all and he drove us right through Watts. Man that was just a little bit unsettling it looked like the race riots from the 60s were still going on. Needless to say we took the freeway home from Vegas.

While living in LA we lost a baby and then successfully had a baby our first son was born in 1987. While I was pregnant with son number 1 I had the worst morning sickness. It lasted morning noon and night. Poor Doohickie he had to open every window in the duplex before he could cook any meat because the smell would send me as quickly as I could to visit the porcelain god.

After son number 1 was born we moved to Texas. I loved Texas just slightly closer to Yankee Land but not so close that I would freeze to death in the winter time. I hate being cold and that is another thing about Doohickie he really does not like the heat and he misses the winters but he moved to Texas twice so that I could be warm and happy. Doohickie has been my rock and my comforter in the sad times of my life as well. We lost 3 more babies before son number 2 was born. He cheers me up when I get blue in June or when I miss my Yankee Land family. He encourages and supports any endeavor that I want to try and when son number 2 was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder I continued to be a stay at home so that he could get as much therapy as was needed


Doohickie and son number one at the park and they are ready to feed the ducks.


Doohickie being a wonderful Dad. Son number one wanted Daddy to swim with him so Doohickie did and he let me take the picture as well.


He builds things when I ask him too. When son number 1 was almost 3 son number 2 was on the way so Doohickie built a captains bed for son number 1. I told him what I wanted it to look like and he built it. In fact we still have it in our spare room; neither son 1 or 2 can use it they are both to long for the bed. That’s what happens when you live in Texas your kids get really tall: 6’5” and 6’3” to be exact.


Son number two is in the denim jacket facing the camara as he stands near Doohickie. Dad knows how to climb better than Mom so he gets the honors.


Doohickie places the newest items for advancement in cub scouts on son number two. I would always get a lump in my throat when I attended one of these events with my boys. He was and is there for us when we need him to be.


1998 we took a REALLY BIG family vacation. One of our stops was Sea World in San Diego. Son number one had a new camara so he took this picture. We all loved this vacation.


His Dad and his two brothers along with his Mom and extended family influenced who he was and is. The picture of Doohickie with his Dad and his two brothers is one of my favorites. Yes he takes after his Mom’s side of the family because his Dad’s side is on the shorter side of the six foot mark.


Doohickie is a very good sport and gets talked into activities that another person would say no way to. For several years in a row he was asked to be a part of the Easter pageant, Advent program and the talent show.


One of my favorite pictures of him. He might not agree but I love his smile in this picture. He had just finished being the terrified Roman Soldier.


Doohickie as most of you know has a new hobby: his bicycles. Yes it is a plural he has more than 1 or 2. I give him grief on a regular basis for all of the bike junk and bikes in the house but in all honesty I’m glad he has started riding again. It helps him keep his weight and blood pressure down. This is good because he better not check out on me too soon I would not be happy with him. I am sure Doohickie has a picture that he likes better but I did this as a surprise so I did not want to ask where his other pictures of himself are.



The last picture is of the Doohickie family. It was taken at son number two’s high school graduation this June.

Doohickie is the love of my life he still gets to me after 25 years together and when we have been apart for more than a normal day I still get butterflies in my stomach when I see him again.