OUR 45th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Today we have been married 45 years - and I still can't believe that much time has passed.
We were treated to a wonderful brunch with all of our children - it was such a delicious brunch in an old barn that had been converted into a beautiful restaurant. We were seated in the silo part today....the little ones thought that was such a fun thing, eating in a silo!

Doug and I met when I was just out of 9th grade during the summer (I had just turned 16).

I was from Janesville and he was from the little town of Milton just 6 miles from us and all the Milton guys charged into Janesville on Friday nights for Swing Lobby and the Cabaret dances.

I can't tell you how many Janesville girls married Milton guys but there were many.

We dated for well over 3 years, becoming engaged at graduation and marrying a little over a year later.

Our wedding day is kind of a blur for me - it was raining and by the time of the wedding which was to take place at 7 pm plus we were under a tornado watch!!!

The sky was so black at 5 pm it was like midnight - and at the last minute I'm running around looking for a pair of little white gloves for my niece who was our flower girl. I didn't think she needed them but mom thought different....sooooo, off I went, hair all done, out in the rain....arggghhh! GLOVES WERE FOUND!

And.....the wedding was delayed 1/2 hour for guests to arrive inside the church....oh, they were there, just waiting in their cars for the rain to stop.

Needless to say, the wedding went on as planned and no glitches after that.

7 moves later we found ourselves in Burlington because of a job transfer and this is where we have been for well over 29 years - I guess this is HOME.

We raised three sons, all now married with children of their own (5 grandchildren).

THEN.....SEPTEMBER 28, 1963

I wasn't fibbing about rain....the water was up to the curbs!

NOW......SEPTEMBER 28, 2008