FIRST (MIDDLE) AND LAST - MY MAN

Looking back over 35 years of marriage - beginning, middle and latest

OUR LIFE IN A FEW PICTURES

This is a short First, Middle and Last post - it's a bit of time travel through my meeting and being married to my man. Thirty five years of being together and I thought I'd do a few photos to document it - and the aging process!

FIRST

Here we are just before we got married - we had a whirlwind courtship - we met in April 1982, got engaged in August and married the following February. Ahhh young, optimistic, love - fortunately it has panned out and we're still going strong.

Looking back over 35 years of marriage - beginning, middle and latest

MIDDLE

This is us about fifteen years later - we'd moved to the country, had two kids, several job changes, a couple of dogs and cats and you can see we're still smiling!

Looking back over 35 years of marriage - beginning, middle and latest

LAST

This photo was taken at our daughter's engagement party a few years ago - so about 30 years after the first one. A few more wrinkles (and a little less hair for my husband) but I think we were feeling quite proud to have survived launching both our kids and having an empty nest.

Looking back over 35 years of marriage - beginning, middle and latest

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

How many years together are you celebrating? Are you basking in an empty nest yet? Or are the fledglings still at home waiting to lauch? I can't believe that we are only half way through being married (if we both live til our late 80's) so much still to do together in the years ahead!

Looking back over 35 years of marriage - beginning, middle and latest

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34 comments

  1. How lovely to see the pics through the years! Gorgeous memories! Love the idea of these posts too.

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    1. Thanks Denyse - they've been a fun thing to do - looking back with a smile :)

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  2. I celebrated my 24th wedding anniversary last July. Two of the three kids live about 400 miles away. IT is a hard transition.

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    1. Both our kids are a couple of hours away Elise - and you're right, it is a hard transition at times. Sometimes it gets easier and others it seems tougher, but that's the joy and pain of an empty nest.

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  3. What a great way to show the journey you and your husband have traveled. I love this idea! My husband and I have been together for 33 years, married 31. Thanks for sharing this unique view!

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    1. Hi Sylvie - you're not far behind us and it's nice to see you're still going strong too :)

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  4. I absolutely love seeing your pictures! So much story written there! So happy that you are still smiling!

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    1. Thanks Diane - I love that marriages can still get through the long haul and it's not always a case of throwing in the towel during the tough times.

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  5. What a fabulous group of photos, Leanne!! My hubby and I will be celebrating 14 years, and we got married about that fast too. Sometimes you just know (or get lucky!!)
    XOXO
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

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    1. I think it's a bit of both Jodie - but it takes a lot of hard work and compromise at times too doesn't it?

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  6. Coincidentally it is our 32nd wedding today. You and your husband have barely changed. You both look great. My husband had long blond hair and now there's not much left. As for me I'm about 10kgs heavier and have darker hair. Thanks for sharing your journey. #TeamLovinLife

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    1. Happy Anniversary! My husband had long blonde hair just before my time (he cut it off when he broke up with his old girlfriend!) and I'm a good 10kgs heavier these days too - time and tide wait for no marriage :)

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  7. Ahh, I loved seeing these photos. You still look beautiful and you both look vibrant and healthy and happy.

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    1. Thanks for the lovely compliment Jo - we're not quite the fresh faced young things we used to be, but we're doing okay!

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  8. Well you haven't changed Leanne, you still look gorgeous and hubby isn't too bad either LOL:) Congratulations on your relationship and I know from your blog it hasn't always been a bed of roses - but then what relationship is. It took me second time around to find my man and we will be coming up to our 20th wedding anniversary next year and 25 years together. Love is grand isn't it?

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    1. You're right Sue - it certainly has been tough at times, but you weather those storms and go on to better times don't you. I'm so glad you found Mike and got to enjoy marriage the second time round - and 25 years isn't to be scoffed at!

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  9. We've been together 28 years and married for 23 years and are still (mostly lol) smiling.

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    1. Our smiling fluctuates now and then too Jo but I guess if we're smiling most of the time then we must be doing something right :)

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  10. Naaaw, lovely! You guys haven't changed a bit. Loooove old pics, the style flashback is always so much fun!

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    1. I love the fashion flashbacks too Melissa - I was so glad I chose a fairly simple wedding dress - the 80's were very unkind to some brides :)

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  11. Sadly I've never really had a partner or even boyfriend other than when I was in high school. I know for a long time the idea of a relationship scared me and then for a long time I felt very unworthy of a relationship. So.... still / always single which is probably my greatest regret.

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    1. It's strange Deb - I think the grass often looks greener for things we missed out on. I was thinking this about having kids the other day - I used to think people without them were missing out, now I look at how far away and disconnected ours are and I don't think they have that much of an impact on our lifestyle now compared to someone without them. It is lovely having a partner, but there are a lot of women who went through horrible relationships and you have been spared that by being single. And it is never too late - you might be surprised with what's around the corner :)

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  12. You have barely changed, lovely smile. I have been married 27 years, daughter at university so sort of empty nest. The later years have been more difficult as we (well, me) take stock and have to come to terms with some truths. Still, we are great friends and have our health.

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    1. We've been the same way AJ - readjusting and reinventing as we go along. The last few years seem to have smoothed out so maybe we're on the downhill slope and get to cruise for a while - I hope you are too :)

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  13. First, congratulations to the both of you for doing what it took to keep your marriage strong for all these years. We will be celebrating our 54th anniversary this next June, and although we both are seeing signs in our bodies that we are older, we still play and tease the way we did when courting. I'm thankful we are together and I thank God for every new day when we still both wake up.

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    1. Wow Barbara! 54 years is epic and good on you for still being in love like teenagers. You're right about the physical aches and pains, but love surpasses those doesn't it?

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  14. What a great way to see your life together. I'm rolling on 13 years of marriage now - not bad but not your standard yet.

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    1. And neither of us can hold a candle to Barbara's 54 years Emma - but we're still doing really well aren't we? So many people don't get past the first few years of being a couple so it's great to still be going strong after 13 :)

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  15. Those are really great pictures of you two! You look so happy together:)

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  16. I really enjoyed these photos, Leanne. My husband and I have been together 20 years (married 19). This is a second marriage for both of us, and our combined four children have all flown the nest. Luckily, they all live within about 10 miles of us, so we see them and the grandchildren often, but also have the freedom that comes with the empty nest.

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  17. Love the photos, Leanne - and you both look great at any age!

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  18. Super fun post and so fun to see the subtle changes. I think age just makes us better, don't you? Thankfully I didn't stay stuck too much in the 80's with that crazy hair we all seemed to have. You don't seem to have had that craziness. You were smart!

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  19. Gorgeous pics Leanne! My hubby and I have been together for 27 years. We still have teenagers at home, so the nest won't be empty for a little while yet, but we've started thinking about what we'll do when that happens :) #TeamLovinLife

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  20. This is hearwarming and I felt very happy to see you both gleaming with your wide grins.. Loved the post, yes it is quite an achievement to get to see your kids succeed in their life- #BloggersPitStop

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