Congrats and good work! Unlike the New Year, this is something worthy of celebration.
/giphy here’s to you
I remember those moments with the first wife (“I’ve lived with you longer than anyone else in my life”, “half my life”, etc.). We almost made it to 25, had all kinds of plans for our future together and she all of a sudden died. So cherish each moment; it’s a cliche, but it’s true.
On the plus side, I conned another fine women into marrying me and the second marriage is even better. We have an agreement that I get to die first, so no more of that widower shit for me (plus she’s younger and healthier and I have no doubt that they’ll be lined up once I’m gone). We hit ten next year; yeah, I’m an old fart.
@lisaviolet
(Just part of the whole story, which people tell me is cool, but I’ll spare you. Hell, it’s probably buried in these forums somewhere. Who knows?):
My first wife passed in 2007. I continued wearing my ring for a year and really didn’t give much thought to another woman during that time.
I was still grieving in 2009, still sorting out life, certain I didn’t want to be alone, but not sure I was ready to move into another relationship–not sure I’d ever find anything to equal what I lost. I’d had a couple of horribly unexciting blind dates, wasn’t really looking, hadn’t much of a plan. My current wife and I met online (I think it was March); it escalated quickly from our conversing in a Facebook game (where we met) to IMing to actual phone calls, Skyping and long-distance dates. We originally planned on meeting when I attended a conference near her (with some of my favorite, artsy people, just down the road from where she was living) that coming November. Instead, I flew up Memorial Day weekend, then she flew down Independence Day weekend. We started talking marriage, and she suggested we just dive in; though I was madly in love, I was cautious. She drove down to meet my kid (I insisted that the kid approve and, if I’m honest. kind of threw that up as an obstacle, to give me more time to be sure), who was living in KC at the time; they quickly bonded and the kid happily approved. That November, we ended up marrying instead of–and over the weekend previously scheduled for–my going to aforementioned conference (we stopped in so she could meet those friends, some of whom attended the wedding; the leader of the group–a guy I long referred to as my personal pastor–sang a song at our wedding that he had written for us).
Not only was our courtship short, but save for three brief visits (exactly a three-day weekend each time), our courtship was all long distance. Thank God for the internet, Skype, simulcasts, et al. I was nervous, just because that’s how I am. I don’t regret “rushing into it” at all. And, truly, the venues involved (especially pure text) present me in the best possible light–scary, I know, but I guess that’s also “the best possible light” in the eyes of those who appreciate the kind of thing I am. As for my wife, as far as I’ve seen, she’s the perfect woman, companion, co-conspirator.
As it happens, the kid found her man the very next year and they were married after an even briefer acquaintance. They’re still going strong too, and we’re happy to call him our son. Speaking of which, my wife has a son–an extraordinary young man–who was pretty much grown when I met him, but I’ll proudly claim as well.
@joelmw Sweet story. I’m glad you found a new life partner so quickly.
I had two jobs. I helped a friend with his bookwork after my day job. He was a contractor and had subcontractors working for him, in and out of the office in the evening, looking at floorplans.
I’d broken off a relationship with someone I worked with at my day job (he was involved with someone else and it wasn’t fun anymore) and on my way to my truck one evening, he looks at me and mouths “I love you”. It hit me wrong. Not mad wrong, but a “this isn’t ever going to happen” type of feeling.
So, I’m at my night job and this subcontractor says something to me, joking, but I wasn’t in the mood and I told him straight out “don’t, I’m going to start crying”. Well, he did and I did. Then he asked me out. The beginning of June. Sent me a dozen roses with no card the day of our first date. We went to dinner and a movie (Ghostbusters) and he spent the night (keep in mind, I knew him for over a year by this time).
Our first week together, he bought me diamond earrings. A carat total weight. Every Friday, I had a huge arrangement of long stemmed roses sent to me. So big I couldn’t put them on my desk. When I took them home, I had to put them in the back of my truck (I had a camper shell).
He knocked me off of my feet. Seriously, I’d never been wooed like that in my life.
Then, it stopped in August. He had started seeing someone else. Okay, it was good while it lasted. No hard feelings. It is what it is. A few weeks later I sent him a card in the mail. He called. He came over.
And he told me he was “confused”. (We laugh about it now; I named our first together dog after the gal he dated.) And we were back together. On my birthday in October, he slipped a set of rings under my pillow. He never asked, I never said yes. I did ask him “when”, he said “don’t push it”.
I didn’t. Then, a few weeks before Christmas, he said “let’s get married on New Year’s Eve”. Okay. “Let’s do it at your parents’ house”. Okay.
Christmas eve dinner at mom and dad’s “hey, we’re getting married next week, can we have the wedding here?” Sure. Didn’t know they had a party planned, but Dianne’s getting married!
Called a minister in from the newspaper. A-1 King of Hearts, the Reverend Ada King. An 86 year old black woman officiated our wedding.
He went to work the next day. Pretty romantic.
And that’s how it’s gone. We’re both pretty low key people, so it’s nice.
Never thought about it that way… half of your life… The Wife and I hit 26 years married in June and that will be half of mine… we hit half of hers 2 years ago.
Congratulations! When we celebrated our Anniversary this week my mother told my husband “You’ve had her a lot longer than I did!”. Actually, I’m going for double, 37 years ago I was a 20 year old bride.
Married 60 years (to each other); we’re both 80, so at age 40, we had been married 20 years or half our lives. Presently, we have reached the 60/80 or 75% mark.
So, you’ve been out of your mind over half your life? (Congrats!)
@Barney Kinda, I guess.
Wonderful!
/giphy 33 long years
Congratulations. Wishing you both another happy 33 years.
@sophi I shared this with him and he said “we’ll be really OLD!”
Congratulations!!
/giphy congrats!
In a society where this is the exception rather than the norm, I’m so pleased to read this.
Good for you both! Congratulations!
Quite an accomplishment. Congrats
Congrats and good work! Unlike the New Year, this is something worthy of celebration.
/giphy here’s to you
I remember those moments with the first wife (“I’ve lived with you longer than anyone else in my life”, “half my life”, etc.). We almost made it to 25, had all kinds of plans for our future together and she all of a sudden died. So cherish each moment; it’s a cliche, but it’s true.
On the plus side, I conned another fine women into marrying me and the second marriage is even better. We have an agreement that I get to die first, so no more of that widower shit for me (plus she’s younger and healthier and I have no doubt that they’ll be lined up once I’m gone). We hit ten next year; yeah, I’m an old fart.
@joelmw This was the first for both of us.
We only dated for six months.
@lisaviolet
(Just part of the whole story, which people tell me is cool, but I’ll spare you. Hell, it’s probably buried in these forums somewhere. Who knows?):
My first wife passed in 2007. I continued wearing my ring for a year and really didn’t give much thought to another woman during that time.
I was still grieving in 2009, still sorting out life, certain I didn’t want to be alone, but not sure I was ready to move into another relationship–not sure I’d ever find anything to equal what I lost. I’d had a couple of horribly unexciting blind dates, wasn’t really looking, hadn’t much of a plan. My current wife and I met online (I think it was March); it escalated quickly from our conversing in a Facebook game (where we met) to IMing to actual phone calls, Skyping and long-distance dates. We originally planned on meeting when I attended a conference near her (with some of my favorite, artsy people, just down the road from where she was living) that coming November. Instead, I flew up Memorial Day weekend, then she flew down Independence Day weekend. We started talking marriage, and she suggested we just dive in; though I was madly in love, I was cautious. She drove down to meet my kid (I insisted that the kid approve and, if I’m honest. kind of threw that up as an obstacle, to give me more time to be sure), who was living in KC at the time; they quickly bonded and the kid happily approved. That November, we ended up marrying instead of–and over the weekend previously scheduled for–my going to aforementioned conference (we stopped in so she could meet those friends, some of whom attended the wedding; the leader of the group–a guy I long referred to as my personal pastor–sang a song at our wedding that he had written for us).
Not only was our courtship short, but save for three brief visits (exactly a three-day weekend each time), our courtship was all long distance. Thank God for the internet, Skype, simulcasts, et al. I was nervous, just because that’s how I am. I don’t regret “rushing into it” at all. And, truly, the venues involved (especially pure text) present me in the best possible light–scary, I know, but I guess that’s also “the best possible light” in the eyes of those who appreciate the kind of thing I am. As for my wife, as far as I’ve seen, she’s the perfect woman, companion, co-conspirator.
As it happens, the kid found her man the very next year and they were married after an even briefer acquaintance. They’re still going strong too, and we’re happy to call him our son. Speaking of which, my wife has a son–an extraordinary young man–who was pretty much grown when I met him, but I’ll proudly claim as well.
@joelmw Sweet story. I’m glad you found a new life partner so quickly.
I had two jobs. I helped a friend with his bookwork after my day job. He was a contractor and had subcontractors working for him, in and out of the office in the evening, looking at floorplans.
I’d broken off a relationship with someone I worked with at my day job (he was involved with someone else and it wasn’t fun anymore) and on my way to my truck one evening, he looks at me and mouths “I love you”. It hit me wrong. Not mad wrong, but a “this isn’t ever going to happen” type of feeling.
So, I’m at my night job and this subcontractor says something to me, joking, but I wasn’t in the mood and I told him straight out “don’t, I’m going to start crying”. Well, he did and I did. Then he asked me out. The beginning of June. Sent me a dozen roses with no card the day of our first date. We went to dinner and a movie (Ghostbusters) and he spent the night (keep in mind, I knew him for over a year by this time).
Our first week together, he bought me diamond earrings. A carat total weight. Every Friday, I had a huge arrangement of long stemmed roses sent to me. So big I couldn’t put them on my desk. When I took them home, I had to put them in the back of my truck (I had a camper shell).
He knocked me off of my feet. Seriously, I’d never been wooed like that in my life.
Then, it stopped in August. He had started seeing someone else. Okay, it was good while it lasted. No hard feelings. It is what it is. A few weeks later I sent him a card in the mail. He called. He came over.
And he told me he was “confused”. (We laugh about it now; I named our first together dog after the gal he dated.) And we were back together. On my birthday in October, he slipped a set of rings under my pillow. He never asked, I never said yes. I did ask him “when”, he said “don’t push it”.
I didn’t. Then, a few weeks before Christmas, he said “let’s get married on New Year’s Eve”. Okay. “Let’s do it at your parents’ house”. Okay.
Christmas eve dinner at mom and dad’s “hey, we’re getting married next week, can we have the wedding here?” Sure. Didn’t know they had a party planned, but Dianne’s getting married!
Called a minister in from the newspaper. A-1 King of Hearts, the Reverend Ada King. An 86 year old black woman officiated our wedding.
He went to work the next day. Pretty romantic.
And that’s how it’s gone. We’re both pretty low key people, so it’s nice.
To the same person?
/giphy congrats!
Congrats!
Only 17 more years for me!
/giphy forever
@luvche21 You’ll be gobsmacked how quickly it goes by.
Congratulations!! That’s amazing!!!
Never thought about it that way… half of your life… The Wife and I hit 26 years married in June and that will be half of mine… we hit half of hers 2 years ago.
@JnKL He hit half of his five years ago.
hey, I’ve been married over half of my life- just not to the same person.
@dhelmick56 Yeah, I spent 5 years on the practice marriage (slow learner I guess), but I aced the final!
(Wise man marries his second wife first.)
@macromeh I hope not.
But then, he’s a fast learner.
Congratulations! When we celebrated our Anniversary this week my mother told my husband “You’ve had her a lot longer than I did!”. Actually, I’m going for double, 37 years ago I was a 20 year old bride.
@callow Yay!
Celebrating 18 years of not ruining two other peoples lives.
I’d love to be married for half of my life. Single in AZ…
@AZnatural1 I was 31 when we started dating, if that helps.
We got married young, so I was 36 when I’d been married half my life.
@mr_crash_davis
I was 19 when I got married. I’ve hit that mark at <math> age. About to hit our 22nd anniversary.
@mr_crash_davis
My wife did my math. I was 38 at my halfway point and she was 36.
Congratulations!
Married 60 years (to each other); we’re both 80, so at age 40, we had been married 20 years or half our lives. Presently, we have reached the 60/80 or 75% mark.
@Jackinga Now that’s a milestone worth celebrating. Congratulations !!!
Wife 2.0 has outlasted her predecessor. Which is a milestone of sorts. Definitely, it was an upgrade.
/giphy Fuiyoh!
@mike808 I endured a 5 year practice marriage before finding the right partner.
Wise man marries his second wife first.
@macromeh Failing that, the third time’s the charm, right?
Wait till you reach 50 years like I did this year-you will feel worse and really feel old.
@Felton10 really old? My mom insists you aren’t old until you are 104.
@Kidsandliz she has been married for 104 years-I’m 75 and been married for 50 years and have a bird that is 25 years old.
dang…for me to ever hit that milestone, If i got married TOMORROW (not currently dating anyone, but… it could happen…) i’d have to be 84 yrs old.
anyway, /giphy mazel tov
@earlyre what am i doing wrong…why the giphy no worky?
@earlyre giphy has to start the line
/giphy wow
@speediedelivery
/giphy mazel tov