20 Years and Counting

If you can't laugh at yourself who can you laugh at, right?  I sure got a good laugh looking back at a few old photos of us recently.  Tomorrow, April 27, is our 20 year wedding anniversary.  Wow, 20 years!  Where has the time gone?  The last time we were in the States (which has been almost 2 years now) I scanned a few photos to have for this anniversary.  Yes, I was thinking ahead that long ago.  Yes, I'm just a little crazy, ha.  Here are a few photos I scanned to look back on from our early years together.  I didn't scan any from our dating years so I'll start with the day we got engaged-

May 12, 1995

We were on our way to another friend's wedding when David popped the question. 

Our wedding day April 27, 1996

We were married at Harmony Baptist Church in Crystal Springs, MS

Young, in love, and off to begin our lives together.

We began our honeymoon with an overnight stay at the Elliot House Bed and Breakfast in Amite, Louisiana.  We were instantly hooked on the bed and breakfast idea and it began a trend for us in the years to come.  We have since spent many nights in different bed and breakfast places.  We love the houses.  We love the history.  We love the hospitality.  We just love everything about it!

Our room

The next day we drove on down to New Orleans to catch our flight to Cancun.  It was our first time to fly and our first time to leave the U.S.  When we checked in the attendant upgraded us to first class.  Other than one other man we had the whole first class section to ourselves.  That was fun and very kind of him.  We would then spend the next several days soaking up the sun at the Omni Resort there in Cancun.  It was beautiful!!!

It is hard to imagine a time when I didn't take as many photos.  I have always loved taking pictures but I guess in the pre-digital years it just wasn't as easy.  I sadly do not have many from our honeymoon.  I surely wish I had taken more.

an ocean view from our balcony

me on the way to supper one night

David on the way to supper one night.  Don't you just love that fanny pack!!! Oh how I have laughed at that.  And those socks!

Here we are one day eating lunch at Tony Roma's in Cancun.  Oh my! Bless our hearts. ha

Then there was this... It just screams TOURIST!  I have cried big tears laughing at this picture.

We booked a few excursions through our hotel.  One of our favorites was this speed boat trip that took us to an area to snorkel.  It was really fun driving that boat.

snorkeling in Cancun on our honeymoon

the best Coke I have ever had was in Cancun, Mexico on our anniversary

Our anniversary has always been one of our biggest days of the year.  I have always worked hard to plan something fun and special for us.  I love to celebrate the day that we were married!  A few of our early anniversaries were spent in the Smoky Mountains at Gatlinburg.  Several were spent at bed and breakfast places with our favorite being Cedar Grove in Vicksburg, MS.  But, our favorite vacation of all has been taking cruises.  We took several for our anniversaries before moving to the mission field.  Below are some miscellaneous photos from anniversary trips past.

celebrating our 2nd anniversary on a Caribbean cruise

 our first cruise in 1998

 an anniversary bed and breakfast stay in Galveston, TX

 cruising for our 8th anniversary

Another anniversary cruise formal night.  Dressing up on formal nights is our favorite thing to do.

snorkeling in Cozumel, Mexico

visiting the southernmost point of the continental U.S.A. in Key West, FL

Kayaking tour in Key West, FL.  That was a fun memory!

This picture has always made me laugh.  David was wearing a swimsuit but it doesn't look like it in this photo. 

kayaking in Key West, FL

a photo from our 10 year anniversary cruise

We were docked in the Cayman Islands on our 10 year anniversary.  We celebrated the day by parasailing.

parasailing on our 10 year anniversary in the Cayman Islands

having supper on our 10 year anniversary April 27, 2006

The cruise staff sang to us, brought us dessert, and tied our arms together. This was my favorite anniversary trip of all.  I think it will be hard to top that week.

Eight months later we would be arriving in Guatemala to begin our service here.  We have spent all but one of the past ten years celebrating our anniversary here on the mission field.  We have had some fun celebrations here also.   The last five anniversary trips have included the boys.  They sure add an extra layer of excitement to our celebrations.

Last night we introduced them to our wedding video.  It was very funny listening to them talk while they watched it.  They asked a lot of questions and laughed at us a lot.  It was a sweet time to reflect on our marriage with our boys.  David's cousin, Kevin, videoed our wedding.  As a gift to us he made us a music video from our baby and childhood pictures.  He made us another music video of our dating years.  He also made us a music video of our wedding.  Here is the video he made of that-

We began this morning with a celebration pancake breakfast and then we're off to celebrate #20.  I am anticipating a fun few days ahead.  Twenty years has gone by fast.  It has been some amazing years and I cannot imagine a day of it without David by my side.  I will never doubt that God put us together.  The joy of my life has been walking side by side as his partner, helpmate, and friend.  We are a team and we want nothing more than for our lives and marriage to honor the Lord.  I pray he gives us many, many more years to do that.