Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Happy Anniversary, Gregg!

Nineteen years ago today, I was getting ready to take wedding vows with Gregg. He was 35 years old.May 25 1991 001I was 30 years old.  It’s not my first marriage, but I intend it to be my last. May 25 1991 003 Nineteen years ago, we gathered with our families and close friends in a country church, just a few miles from here. The church dates to the early 1900s, and has been one of my favorites all of my life. You pass it on the way to our family’s property on Bainbridge Island, and it has always been a wonderful landmark, to me, that I was approaching the place I loved best in the world.May 25 1991 036May 25 1991 019Gregg’s family.May 25 1991 033My family.May 25 1991 007May 25 1991 011A light moment during the ceremony. May 25 1991 012That moment of joyful recognition, when you look at each other and think, “We did it! We’re husband and wife!”
May 25 1991 013
Nineteen years ago, we set out on a journey, not knowing where we would be going, but knowing that, wherever we go, we'd be together. Since then, I've enjoyed more unconditional love, patience, calm, stability and freedom than I ever had before. I have laughed and cried, been happy, grieved, angry, frustrated, fulfilled, overwhelmed, overjoyed, encouraged, challenged - all with Gregg by my side.May 25 1991 016This is possibly the ugliest wedding cake I’ve ever seen. You can’t really tell in this photo, but the icing flowers were purple and pink. I was a tad bit surprised when it arrived, as it wasn’t at all what I had in mind when I ordered it. (We designed the wedding on a very tight budget.)May 25 1991 014May 25 1991 020May 25 1991 029My sister & me. By the way, we don’t think we look alike, probably because our personalities are so different. Go ahead and laugh.May 25 1991 015A magical moment in front of the condo in Maui. We’ll always be grateful to Dave for introducing us, and to his wife, Cary, for lending us the family condo for our honeymoon! It couldn’t have been more perfect.May 25 1991 023I love you, Gregg.
Thank you for 19 years of best-friendship and happiness, for being a wonderful partner, love and father. Thank you for being a rock in the bad times and a fun, fabulous, easy-going companion in the good times.

23 comments:

Everything Coastal said...

Happy Anniversary! What wonderful pictures of the two of you - let me guess, is the church at Seabold? Congratulations and love being sent your way today!

Busy Bee Suz said...

*tear*tear*
Happy anniversary to you both. I love these photos, the joy is plain to see on your faces.

I laughed out loud at the ugly cake comment...ours was pretty tacky. As a matter of fact, our entire reception was tacky. :)

Unknown said...

Happy Anniversary you two! :) Such a beautiful couple...then and now. Love you both!

Karyn said...

Oh wow. What great pictures!!!

Gberger said...

Thank y'all for the love.

Caron, you're right - Seabold United Methodist! A charming place of peace (and history), with rhodies and lilacs in the yard.

Elizabeth said...

Happy Anniversary. Every time I see a picture of you and your husband, I think he's incredibly manly and handsome and you're adorable. Really.

May you have many more happy years together!

Truth Ferret said...

Thank you for sharing such precious memories with us. Loved the pictures of a simple wedding which leads to a complex life. Marrying your anchor, no matter how the cake looked, is the best part of a wedding, isn't it?

This summer will be our thirty-first anniversary. It seems like it's not been that long one minute and then next I am shocked when I look in the mirror...who are those old people?

A.Smith said...

I know in my heart of hearts when I see a pair of tween souls that find each other. It is clear as water from a spring that you and Gregg are a pair that was meant to be. Your happiness is contagious. You weathered some incredible storms together, the kind that breaks the bow of the ship or makes it stronger.

I could not wish more for myself than what I wish for the two of you for the rest of your married life. When you get down to Portland we will open a bottle of our favorite bubbly and toast to the next 50 years, and that may we all be together to celebrate. Much love and happiness, my dear Karen.

Pam said...

Aww, so sweet. Love all the pictures. What a stunning church. Funny cake! All these years later, you're just as married, even with a wonky cake. : )

Happy Anniversary!

ChiTown Girl said...

Happy Anniversary!!

Maggie May said...

True love. Beautiful, and congratulations.

Mary Potts said...

Like ours, your marriage has withstood quite the "storm". Those vows mean a great deal more when they are challenged.

Congratulations, and that last photo is gorgeous! To heck with the cake!

Tracey Axnick said...

Just beautiful! Happy Anniversary! I forget that you and Suz have the same anniversary.... how magical! :)

Love is such a beautiful and amazing thing, isn't it?

Ellen said...

I so love seeing wedding photos....ahhhh...sigh...I too had a silly cake with these sugar swans that separated the layers of the cake..thankfully the colors were right! You make a lovely couple...Happy Anniversary to you both!

Elizabeth said...

I also forgot to add that my wedding cake was so ugly and tasted even worse. And this was in Switzerland, no less -- and I was a pastry chef at the time and Michael was a chef! Your comments about your own cake cracked me up!

Dawn said...

Happy Anniversary to a Beautiful couple..inside and out...I loved looking at your photo's and also the beautiful photo's from the garden. I'd like to think that beauty is just a small glimpse of what Heaven is, and what Katie & Brandon & so many others get to experience EVERY DAY!
Enjoy your Anniversary WEEK!
Love,
Dawn

Diane Walker said...

Oh, my -- love the dress!!!

Daisy said...

Happy anniversary to you both. Lovely couple!

Mich

Karen said...

You're just gorgeous (30 going on 17!) and Gregg is soooo handsome. You two are quite the perfect match, and what a beautiful, deep, rich life you have built for 19 years--through the sunshine and the shadows. Just beautiful. Thanks for letting us come to the wedding.
Much love and congratulations.
Karen

Gberger said...

Thanks and love right back to all of you. I wish for you love, happiness and fulfillment, too! XOXOXOXO

BLOOM - Parenting Kids With Disabilities said...

Happy Anniversary!

Karen, I couldn't find an e-mail for you, but I wanted to get your snail-mail address, so I could send you a copy of the summer print issue of BLOOM.

If you can send it to me at lkinross@bloorview.ca

I will pop one in the mail to you!

Thanks, Louise

AnnDeO said...

Beautiful. The church, the ceremony, the people, the relationship, the marriage. You are too cute.

pysanki.blogspot.com said...

Congratulations!!!