It’s Been Quite a Journey So Far, My Love!

I want to wish a Happy 22nd Anniversary* to my husband and best friend!

Words can’t express how much I love you but I wanted to tell you (and I will, don’t worry…you won’t have to just read it here on my blog!) how much I appreciate you and thank my lucky stars that we not only got together (after much stalking on my behalf), but STAYED together after all these years. I am proud to tell people that we have the special kind of relationship that beats the odds, especially the slim chances that young marrieds (as we were, at just-turned-eighteen and almost-twenty) have.

jimmelhs

One of my fave photos EVER.
Jim & Melisa, Spring 1985. Between classes in the hallway of FHS. Photo by Julie Sudman**.
Jim was 18, I was 16 1/2: the current age of our older son. UGH!

Through thick and thin, sickness and health, richer and poorer, in good times and in bad, I am yours forever, faithfully.

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Melisa & Jim, December 29 1986. This is the *only* photo of the two of us on our actual wedding day. And yes, I’m reading “Teen” magazine.

*Katie: When you comment on this post, I had better not see a mention of how you were BORN in 1986 and how “funny” it is that Jim and I have been married as long as you’ve been alive! I’ve already thought of that for you! (Just “best wishes” would be lovely. LOL)

**Julie was one of my classmates: she took it for her Photography class! Julie: if you google yourself and find this, drop me a line!*.

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20 Comments

  • Weaselmomma

    Congrats! 22 years is awesome and something to be proud of! I love that you married young and it stuck! (we were 20 and 23 and it’s been 16 yrs.) Do you have special romantic plans for the evening? If not would you like to do those drinks I owe you?(all 4 of us?).

  • Melissa

    As someone who married her high school swetheart and the marriage didn’t last, I can tell you that 22 years is amazing…and something you should be very proud of.

    And I love that picture of you and Jim, too!

    Happy Anniversary, here’s to 22 more just like it!

  • Mrs4444

    My son read a statistic to me today; 22% of high school sweethearts get married. 17% of them get divorced. Nicely done! 🙂 I recognize the hairdos (Mr.4444 and I will celebrate 19 married, 25 together this March!)

  • Michelle

    Awww happy anniversary! I was trying to figure out how you’d possibly been married that long (you don’t want to know what I was doing in 1986), but just turned 18 makes sense. Congrats and keep it up!

    Oh and I meant to ask… how does the older bro take it that his younger bro gets the cell at so much a younger age than he did?

  • Sarah

    Happy Anniversary!

    You give hope to those of us that married young, and are still hanging in there, hoping to reach 22 years someday, too. 🙂

    Hubby and I married at 23 and 20. We just celebrated our 8th anniversary this past September. 🙂

  • Anonymous

    This is Jim.

    Its hard to figure out where to start. I guess I’ll start with; thanks for stalking me. It turned out better than I could have hoped although I cant tell you where 22 years went, seems like 4 or 5, maybe 10 at the most. Seesm like just yesterday we were setting up our first home together in Va and now, all of the sudden we have two teenagers! What happened. Well anyway, I just want you to know that I would only change one thing had I to do it all over again, I would have done things right in the beginning and given you a proper wedding and all of that. Maybe I can fix that soon, who knows. 25 is coming up soon! Love you more than anything.

  • Melisa

    Thanks to everybody!!

    Mrs4444: Thanks for sharing that statistic. Makes me feel good. 🙂

    Michelle: To be honest, the older boy got his phone at 14 (I did that older post this past summer but the event–the phone gifting–happened in 2006) and the younger boy turns 14 this February. So the older one wasn’t put out in the least; in fact, he was excited to 1)help me CHOOSE his brother’s phone and 2)help us pull one over on his brother, who didn’t expect a phone for Hanukkah *at all*. So it went well! 🙂

    Sarah: Aww, you Newlywed, you! 🙂 Someday I’ll bore you with the secrets to a successful marriage. But I bet you know them already.

    Jim: You’re welcome. Stalking you was totally my pleasure. 🙂 Love you MORE.

  • Dea

    Congratulations! 22 years is amazing, and totally not possible, since you two so aren’t old enough. 😀

    Love the pictures! You two just look so perfect together – then AND now!

  • nonna

    awww your hubby’s comment was sooo sweet it almost made me cry! and i don’t even like all that mushy stuff usually!
    congrats on doing what most people can’t (work on a marriage, when did they become disposable??)hope you have many more!
    i was a stalker too, so maybe that’s a good sign for me and hubby 🙂

  • Huckdoll

    O-M-G! That is beautiful. I barely know anyone who has persevered and flourished in marriage. Happy Anniversary, you two. You’re totally inspirational to me 🙂 And sweetest ever comment from a husband I have ever seen.

  • Melisa

    Deanna: Thanks. We like to talk about how perfect we look together too. Bwahahahaha! 🙂

    Nonna: You were a stalker? You’ll *totally* be fine. I’m all for friendly-style stalking. 🙂

    Huckdoll: Thanks. 🙂 I agree; he is very sweet.

  • k a t i e

    *has a slight internal battle with herself*

    ….Best Wishes Melisa! You know I think you guys are wonderful 🙂

  • ciara

    i just had to comment that my 1st kid was born about 6mos after that last pic up there…i turned 21 5mos after i had him that year. lol