Our 25th Anniversary!

25 years ago today, Mitch and I were married. We started dating in high school, and by our wedding day had been dating 7 years. We were engaged the summer after Mitch graduated from college and took his first job at the bank in Tremont, and before I started my senior year of college. We thought I would probably finish college before we got married, but then my student teaching assignment came in for Pekin, just six miles from Tremont ... and so we pushed up the date so that we could be married on semester break; after my finals and before my student teaching began.

My parents had divorced just a couple of years before and we just didn't have the chance for the big wedding that all of our friends had. So we paid for our own wedding and didn't have a lot to spend just fresh out of college ... we had a simple ceremony that cost about $500 total. A borrowed dress, Mitch in a suit and not a tux, church poinsettias for altar flowers, a friend's dad took pics, and a cake and punch reception. But most importantly we were married, and we drove to FL for a honeymoon ... the first of many beach vacations to come.

We lived in Tremont a few years and then Lisa's job relocated to St. Louis. After a decade in St. Louis, Tremont bank called Mitch to come back, and we made the move.

Meanwhile, other life milestones continued in a 7's pattern for us. Drew was born in 1989, the year we celebrated our 7th anniversary. We were married 14 years when we found out TJ would be coming along. And 7 days after our 21st anniversary ... we left for China on our journey to meet Abby. I'm looking forward to our 28th year, but I think Mitch is a little bit scared! :-)

Much change has occurred since we walked down the aisle in 1982, and there have been good times and even some not-so-good times in life and marriage. But our experiences have made us who we are as people, as a couple, and as a family. I'm glad we have had the chance to experience it all, and I look forward to many years to come.