26 years

Alicia and I walked down the aisle 26 years ago today, at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas. What an amazing journey it has been. Home has been Portland, OR; Dallas; Chicago; Eureka, CA; Davis, CA; Chicago again; Muskegon, MI; Denver, Dallas again; Lansing, MI; Kent, WA; and Kingwood TX, where we've lived for the past 7 years. That's longer than anywhere except the almost 8 years in Lansing, and longer in this house than anywhere we've lived before.

On our first anniversary, over dinner we looked back and recalled the best and worst thing about 1980. That started a pattern we continued for a long time - best and worst for every year. Over the last year or two we've had a hard time doing that - both because we have a tough time remembering each year individually, and because we have to start the litany almost before we get in the restaurant door!

In 1987 we went to a movie before our dinner, and that started a pattern as well. We almost always do movie and dinner now, and today we're going to see King Kong AND Good Night, Good Luck. We don't get to theatres for grown-up movies too often so it's a fun escape from the ordinary.

I'm thankful for the pleasure of looking back over 26 years being married to my best friend. And I'm amazed at how quickly the years have flown past, especially as I look at the kids.