Continuing On

Within two weeks of that first date on May 1, 1983, I knew I would marry Cliff. We spent every moment we could together over the course of those first 5 months. By the fall of that year, Cliff's ship was repaired and preparing to leave the Brooklyn ship yard and head back to Jacksonville, FL (its home port). I was so devastated!! I could not imagine him not being around for Christmas!! The night he left for Jacksonville, I cried like I never cried before. It literally felt like my heart was broken in two. He wasn't able to get leave for Christmas so he came in January. It was during this leave that he took my dad out for the famous steak dinner and formally asked if he could marry me. We went ring shopping that weekend!! We weren't able to set a wedding date, however, because if you recall, one of the "hot spots" at the time was Libia and there was a distinct possibility Cliff could get sent over there. I was almost 19 at the time and I'd never been away from home. My parents didn't want me to get married, move to Jacksonville, and then have Cliff be gone for a year.

By May, things had settled down and we were able to set a wedding date.

November 24, 1984... 24 years ago today. Through the years we have weathered our share of storms. We have had our share of ups and downs just like every other couple out there. But we have stayed together. God has blessed us with 4 children who we are so very proud of. It's not always been an easy life but its been a good life...one that I hope continues on for another 24.

24 years ago, we looked forward to babies and building a home. These days we look forward to grandchildren and making our home even stronger. We are a good team. We balance each other well. Today, the phrase, "God Is Good" is continually running through my mind.