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Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Thursday 9 February 2012

To Have and to Hold



Hello bloggerettes. I love a good Love Story, don't you? 
Today I am joining Betty Jean's romantic To Have and To Hold Love Story Linky Party Marathon at Shabby Tea Party. Thank you Betty Jean for hosting.

Some of you may have read my Love Story before but I thought I would share it once again and what a better time to share it than on the anniversary of our very first date, February 9th.

Love is when you look into someone's eyes and see everything you need.


Let's go back a few years to a time when record hops were still the place to go on a Saturday afternoon.

Picture if you will, a shy young man sporting a Beatle haircut and an even shyer young lady with long hair and bangs, wearing a mini skirt, fishnet stockings, and high boots. Yes, I liked to dress in the latest fashion and I still do!

He was painfully shy but when he finally got up the nerve to ask me to dance, it was love at first sight! We were both seventeen.

He asked me to dance three weeks in a row and then that third Saturday after the record hop, he followed my friends and me into the restaurant where we always went for a bite to eat before the long walk home. Not much wonder we were all so fit and trim!  We danced all afternoon and then walked three miles home afterwards.

He sat on the far side of the restaurant all by himself and then he got up and put some money into the jukebox. He played three of my favourite songs! Coincidence? I don't think so!
One of those songs was my absolute favourite, "Words" by the Bee Gees. He didn't know it was my favourite, it just happened to be his too! 

My friends talked me into joining him at his table, where he and I sat and talked before he walked me the three miles home. Halfway home, he took me by the hand, and 'it was magic!'
And the rest as they say, is history!

Love isn't love until you give it away. ~ Michael W. Smith

A month after our first dance, we went on our first date. 




These pictures were taken on our first date. Before meeting at Eatons department store, he had gone to Zellers to get his picture taken. Do you remember those photo cubicles? He asked me to get mine taken too, which I did.
Isn't he adorable? He's even cuter today; lucky me!

A month after our first date, he asked me to "go steady."
Four years later, in spite of the objections of some family members, we got married. Thankfully, after some time, those family members realized we were meant for each other and accepted our marriage.

"...For where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God." ~ Ruth 1:16


"Words" by the way, is our song.

Three children and five grandchildren later, we are still sweethearts and we cannot imagine life without each other. 

Come May, we will be celebrating our 40th Anniversary.


What's our secret? We spend time together, we pray together, and we laugh a lot. We are best friends and always have been.
We are very thankful for what we have and we feel we are very blessed! 


Love is something you can't describe like the look of a rose, the smell of the rain, or the feeling of forever. ~




Above the refrigerator, I have a little vignette which has a sign hanging on it that reads, "The family that prays together, stays together." That's us. You could say we're a match made in heaven!


Happy Valentines Day!

16 comments :

  1. I think that is one of the sweetest things I have ever read in Blogland, Sandi.

    Oh my gosh how tender.

    You two look just the same, just coloring is different - and you look so happy.

    Happy 40th - wow- that's nearly unheard of in this day of easy divorce rates.

    May God continue to bless you both with good health, love and joy.

    With hugs and prayers,

    Michele

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  2. Awww Sandi, thank you sooo much for sharing your sweet Love Story. So hearfelt, I'm all teary eyed and goosepimply. Truly a match made in heaven. Congratulations on your 40 years together, a wonderful example and inspiration for couples today. Warm Hugs,

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  3. This was beautiful! Loved the photos and the story!

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  4. Oh Sandi, what a true blue love story! Loved every word and I'm thrilled to see you've been married for 40 precious years! Those photographs are awesome! You are a beautiful couple!

    Blessings,
    Nancy

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  5. How very romantic. What a wonderful story. Having pictures taken on your first date was so perfect. Thank you for sharing

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  6. Oh dearest Sandi...yes, I love a good Love Story and this is such an adorable one. Happy Anniversary to you both! We are right behind you, coming up on 39 this Aug. Isn't it such a blessing to have a wonderful man in your life for so long? I know God has and continues to bless you.Thanks for including the pictures! Oh so precious.
    Enjoy your day together.
    Much love,
    Linda

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  7. What a beautiful love story .TRuly a match made in heaven. Wonderful.
    Happy anniversary to the both of you.

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  8. Such a sweet story. May you always be as happy as you are today. V

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  9. Thanks so much for sharing your story, it is beautiful.
    Hugs
    Kay

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  10. A beautiful love story! Thanks for sharing!

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  11. Oh Sandi...I love a good love story...and this is great. It's even better because it's true!! Thanks for sharing part of your story with us :) :) Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)

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  12. Sandie I absolutely loved reading this. You both were gorgeous then and still are now. But the best is your love for each other that's lasted through the years. I love you story. Thanks so much for sharing it.

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  13. Sandi thank you for sharing your story. My youngest daughter has a similar one. Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary to both of you...friendship builds into a lasting lovely marriage.

    A diamond anniversary for my 'dear one' and I in September.

    Your scripture passage from Ruth is a favorite and this is what I answered my mother-in-law about following my dear one to Western Canada from Virginia. It was a very different time and place and grateful we grew up at that time in history. We too have been blessed.

    Always enjoy your posts and thank you for taking the time to share them with those of us out here who do not have blogs.

    Joyfully,
    ~Sylvia Faye

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  14. Sandi, I really enjoyed your love story and think you and your beloved are really blessed after all these years of love and marriage. I could even visualize the sock hops and the Zellers and Eaton's stores. Did you take your photos in one of those photo cubicles? I think we all did back then. lol Sweet sweet post today. Hugs, Pamela

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  15. Sandi, what a beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing and congratulations!!! And well done on listening to your hearts instead of what other people said. That IS truly the way to happiness. Happy Anniversary!

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  16. Hello Sandi, I just read this post (I know I'm behind in things). You have a beautiful Love Story and it is so uplifting. I agree, God and prayer is what keeps marriage together. I've been married for 46 years and still have fun together. Have a wonderful Valentines Day with your hubby!
    Nancy

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I am delighted to have you visit me and I read every comment. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you all as there are so many of you lovely bloggy friends now. I will visit as much as possible. I wish you a day filled with JOY!

Also, due to the amount of spam I've been getting, I have had to set Comment Moderation. ~ Sandi

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