Did I Shave My Legs For This? I Sure As Heck Did

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Tonight the hubby and I are going out for a romantic Italian dinner to celebrate our 12th anniversary.

12th…

Holylordjesusonhighhowdidthathappen?

Actually he and I met in high school in 1987 so just calculate that all you young whipper snappers. I can still hear Bon Jovi and smell the hair spritz.

Our actual anniversary is tomorrow. We exchanged vows outdoors at beautiful Shadowbrook in Joelton, Tennessee. It nearly rained. But it didn’t. After spending the night at the gorgeous historic Union Station Hotel in downtown Nashville, we honeymooned in Key West at the lovely Simonton Court Bed & Breakfast and Inn in the heart of Old Town, which the hubby had researched and found on his own in hopes I would love it. And I did. It was perfect. We flew from Nashville to Ft. Lauderdale and rented a convertible so we could drive into Key West with the top down in true island style.

Here we are in April 1993 at a bar in St. Augustine. Note that we had not dated in several years when this picture was taken by my roommate.

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I’m giving him the look and he’s giving me the look. My roommate swore I drugged her every night during this trip because she would zonk out to sleep early (I’m sure this had nothing to do with us drinking all afternoon and night) while the hubby and I made out like wild rabbits in love.

I had driven down with my roommate from Nashville to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, to visit him and he honestly thought he might hit it off with my roommate. All I’ll say is he and I had a pretty up and down “past” so I can’t blame him for wanting to stay away from me. But he couldn’t. And neither could I. I mean look at us.

Here we are just four months later at his apartment in Jacksonville. (Note to self, I believe this is the tannest I have ever been in my entire life as I spent 10 days at the beach with nothing to do all day but hit the beach while the hubby worked.) I flew down by myself via ValuJet Airlines, remember them? I’m sure you know where this is going.

jacksonville-august-1993

Here we are cleaned up with nary a longneck beer in sight and looking like an up and coming couple in the fall of 1996 for our engagement portrait.

engagement-1996

A very good friend of ours who is a photographer took our engagement portraits on the campus of Vanderbilt University, which is where I was working at the time. For the longest time I could not part with that red suit. I still have those earrings.

This was taken on our wedding day and WHOA can you say flash photography? I loved my bouquet. My dress is hanging in my mom’s walk-in closet and I hope one of my girls will wear it some day.

wedding-day

Here is our caravan of love, our getaway Suzuki Sidekick adorned with many beer cans and some sort of translucent inflatable object on the antennae which I shall not name since our oldest daughter is now reading. You stay classy friends!

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Our marriage, like most, has never been about the “perfect,” but it has been wonderful and it has never been dull and I would do it all over again.

I love you babe. Here’s to many, many more years of happiness together.

About the author

Jamie Reeves
I'm Jamie, a 51-year-old Nashville working mom desperately seeking a few moments of Zen and zinfandel. I love to travel, find great deals, and talk with my hands. My husband and I have two daughters, three dogs, one cat and too much laundry. Email me at blondemomblog @ gmail.com.

26 comments

  2. Jennifer says:

    Hot mama!

    Thats a cute pic, both of you giving the looook.

    Glen and I met in 89…wait…88…no 89.

    Shit, I can’t remember.

    Reply
  8. mrschattypants says:

    Love your pictures-and wow how times flies, right? I lived in St. Augustine about the same time (1988-1992ish) and went to college at Flagler College. Where in St. Augustine was that picture taken? It looked familiar and we spent a lot of time back then in the bars. LOL!! Just curious. I have only been reading your blog for a bit, but I love it-you are so funny! Congratulations & have a great day!

    Reply
  11. Blonde Mom says:

    Mrs.Chattypants, It was the Milltop:

    http://www.milltop.com/

    I had to do some searching for that one. My husband has an amazingly scary memory and couldn’t recall!

    And Ashley, I will pay you cold hard cash to tell everyone I look the same as I did in 1993. 😉

    Thanks everyone for the anniversary wishes!

    Reply
  12. Lolly says:

    Aw that’s so sweet! Hubby and I just had our second anniversary in March and I hope we have many more!

    Reply
  18. No Hell says:

    You forgot to tell about the “consumating the relationship” toast! I think your Daddy nearly fell out.
    And, then there’s my favorite quote from the audience. You remember, right?

    Reply
  21. Toast 2 Mom says:

    Happy 12! We’re celebrating our 7 year itch next Monday. Time flies when you’re having fun, right?! 🙂 You’re a great couple!! 🙂

    Reply
  25. Candan says:

    you ‘laid my heart out on it’. Your work is so tcnihoug and is like no one else’s. Take care and, again, cant wait to hear what you have been working on.Love,Kate

    Reply
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