Still the One...

Today is our 29th wedding anniversary!

Five months and five days after we met, at a bar called "Houligans" in Eau Claire, WI. Five months and five days, you say? It's not even a family record! But it was quick. I kept waiting for someone to ask me what I was doing. Certainly, I reasoned, if it was a bad idea, SOMEONE would say SOMETHING. But no one did. And we got married.

My family loved Uncle Lynn from the beginning. My mom's four sisters tried to think of who it was that he reminded them of. Finally, one summed it up by saying, "he's like an old shoe. It's like we've known him forever." Heads nodded. He was in.

Maybe because he did the hard work. He got up at 4 in the morning to go fishing with Uncle Lewie. Lewie was the crusty old guy who usually took threatened to take the niece's boyfriends hunting. That way, he explained, if the family didn't like the guy, there could always be a "hunting accident."

But hunting season was a long way off. So fishing it was. I guess Lewie though Lynn could always fall on a slippery rock and hit his head...But no, my favorite uncle and my future husband became buddies, though Lynn never really got into early morning fishing.

I've known brides who are all about the wedding...the dress...the cake...the flowers..the food...the rehearsal dinner...and obsess about it for months. We weren't like that.

I dress-shopped once, and hated it. I went to a shop where they brought you three dresses and if you didn't like any, they would bring three more. After seeing 6 and not liking any, I said it was going to be in the next three. Why? Because one of them will be better than the other two, and I didn't want to shop all day! That may be how I got a long-sleeved, high-necked dress for a wedding in July! But I would have married Lynn in a pillow case in the backyard, so it didn't matter.

On our wedding day, the groom, his family and most of mine went to my Aunt's house. They played tennis and swam. They had a big party. My two brothers and I went sailing, since Lynn and I couldn't see each other until the ceremony. The wedding was at 7 p.m. At 5:30, I was buying shampoo. It was hot. Lynn almost fainted. And it sprinkled a little, for good luck!

Happy Anniversay, Honey. I'd like to dedicate this next song to you! Music, please.

We've been together since way back when
Sometimes I never want to see you again.
But I want you to know, after all these years
You're still the one I want whisperin' in my ear.

You're still the one I want to talk to in bed
Still the one that turns my head
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one.

You're still the one that makes me laugh
Still the one that's my better half
We're still having fun and you're still the one.

You're still the one that makes me strong
Still the one I want to take along
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one. Yes you are.

Changin' our love is going gold
Even though we grow old, it grows new

You're still the one that I love to touch
Still the one and I can't get enough
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one

You're still the one who can scratch my itch
Still the one and I wouldn't switch
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one.

You're still the one that makes me shout
Still the one that I dream about.
We're still havin' fun and you're still the one.