Defying the odds

Today is my 24th wedding anniversary.  That in itself is a bit if a miracle.  Jim and I were married when we were 20 and 18 respectively.  Sadly- there is only one couple that we know of in our group of friends from that era that was married within 5 years of us that is still married.  I can understand it.  I mean- at 18 and 20 we *thought* we knew everything but boy were we so very wrong. 

We both realize how incredibly fortunate we are that after all of these years we still genuinely like one another.  It has not been an easy road by any stretch of the imagination but we have worked- really hard- at making it work for us.  We have learned so much about and from one another- and we still discover new things all of the time.  We have shared much joy and much pain.  We have worked through the "growing pains" and our fundamental differences.  We have learned to compromise by discovering what we can- and can't live with.  We still have things that make us absolutely  nuts- and things that completely endear us to one another- but we know that we are in this for the long haul so we find a balance.  We play to our strengths and shore up one another's weaknesses. 

  I am so grateful to have reached this point - and I look forward to the next 24 years.  I am also eternally grateful for the example set by my parents- who will celebrate their 44th anniversary at the end of the week.