Today is Valentines Day.....38-years ago today I gave my heart away to a man who promised to love and cherish me, for better or for worse, and I promised to love him for better or for worse, in sickness and health, to death do we part.....Here is our story......We came from different towns....met at a Catholic Youth Retreat (similar to what AG calls a district youth retreat)...We left the retreat and decided to write to each other......He showed up at my doorstep one day, (I was not at home)....My mom called me so I came home right away, broke up with my old boyfriend, and started a new relationship with this man who suddenly after about two weeks of writing letters to me, decided to visit....Dated for 3 months (it was summer)....After 3 months, he was headed to enlist in the Air force, and headed to Texas for basic training....He proposed to me before he went....and I said yes.....We were still Catholic at the time, so when he came home on leave in December we set up the date with the Church, attended a class and all was good to go....we would be married February 14, 1976....or so I thought. A week before the wedding, I get a letter from the "archbishop" stating we didn't know each other well enough and that this marriage would never last. They would not be marrying us in the Catholic Church.......but their suggestion to us was to go "live together for a year" and then come back and they would marry us....Well by this time, I had started a journey to know Jesus....I was very distraught.... after all 250 people coming to a church wedding that wasn't going to take place. I remember calling him that day talking to him and we decided to get married anyway...by a Justice of the Peace.....(friend of the family). So I married my friend, on Valentines Day, in 1976 at the Howard Johnsons pool.....and began an incredible journey with a man who is now my "best friend", one who I know will always take care of me and loves me with all his heart. We moved to San Angelo Texas, then to Maryland, where our first child was born.....right after she was born moved to the Philippines, where we lived for three years...and where we both gave my hearts to the Lord.....(story for another time)....moved to Nebraska, where we learned to walk with the Lord and where our son was born.....only to end up back here in Texas, where the journey continues and "school of learning" never ends....There have been many obstacles over the years we have been married.....Many moves, and one separation due to Air Force sending him to Korea, but through all the obstacles, God took care of us and helped us through all of it......It has been an amazing 38 years. We have learned so much about sacrifice and loving each other no matter what.....There have been many ups and downs, valleys and hills, along the way....times when we didn't think we would pass the test or could pass the test, but instead we came out strong in the end.....Many trials and separations, but it was the love we have for each other, our commitment to each other, and God that kept us together....So baby here is to the next 38 years, if the Lord should tarry......I love you so much and you have been an anchor for me......He has blessed us so much and I pray we have many more years to come.....