~DECEMBER 2010~
I was 19 years plus one week old on the day my Mr. AGPMan proposed to me! Now...as hard as it is for me to wrap my brain around this next sentence, this coming Christmas Eve at 7PM sharp will mark 33 years since the very night I said a resounding "YES" and agreed to marry a dark-haired, rail-thin Nebraska boy of almost 22.
After sitting and listening to a terribly long lecture about 'how marriage is forever' from my preacher-man daddy, surprisingly my guy was still in one piece and seemed to be holding his own. Good thing. He'd have to put up with a very protective father-in-law for more than three-plus decades and a high-maintenance-wifey-girl that only appeared at first glance to be docile.
I honestly believe I got the better end of the marriage deal...
~December 24, 1977~
This is the best photo I have of the night we became engaged and honestly I'm thrilled to have anything! It was taken with a black and white Polaroid camera and I can't even believe it has survived all these years. The surface of the picture became cracked and crazed over time so I'm truly happy that today I can even make out our faces. I scanned it into my computer a few years back and was able to salvage a little bit of the original...
Now...see that sweet sweater I have on? I just could never bring myself to toss it out after we married and somehow I have hung onto the silly little thing through more than 15 major moves. It's been folded up in my bureau drawer in the exact same place since 1978 when I wore it for the last time.
~MONTGOMERY WARD BEAUTY FOR $11.99~
(big $$$ for me back then!)
I've had many memorable Christmases since the night my guy asked me to be his wife. Back then we were so young, still college-poor and didn't have a thin dime to our name.
But...
We were in love.
For us that has never changed.
~GREAT THINGS~
"The Lord has done great things for us,
and our hearts are filled with joy.
Psalm 126:3
Love to you~
40 comments:
Lovely post :)
You are even more beautiful today !!
Merry Christmas
Hi Rebecca,
Happy Getting Engaged Anniversary - I love that chin kiss photo!
I read and love every one of your posts, don't always comment but each one touches me and I think about you during the day quite often.
Miss K is so precious - I wouldn't be surprised if that little face shows up on the cover of a magazine or two one day. I remember your "About Me" page a long time ago, and you mentioning prayers for a little girl - I had no idea who or what - but she looks like the happiest kid around -
Peace & Love to you and your family -
Merry Christmas!
Marsha
OH how sweet! I love the picture of you lovebirds... then and now! When you get it right, you get it right:) Have a blessed day my friend! HUGS!
Hi Rebecca!
You two are so adorable. I love your photos. I'm so glad that your love has endured and grown richer with the years.
Ours is coming up on 37 years!
hugs
Sissie
Congratulations to you both! I think you both won the prize! I hope you have fun celebrating. I LOVE the picture!
xoxo
Denise
Hello Rebecca, congratulations on staying with it and loving each other so much through all the years. You both look so young in the original photo, gosh! where do the years go. This was around the time my lovely Tony and I became an item and we have now been married 32years it has all gone so quickly and I think we love each other more than ever, who says marriage is going out of fashion.
Love Jillx
What a happy and encouraging post!!
Hello Rebecca...what a beautiful picture of you and Mr. AGP, both now and then... I love that you have saved your pretty sweater... those things mean so much to me as well... I know how very blessed you must feel to be together all these years (same as Jack and I) and your love is still and always will be so strong for each other... Happy engagement anniversary coming up!... xoxo Julie Marie
You are just as beautiful as you were 33 years ago.
My hubby and I have been married 33 years ... time has flown!
Hugs,
Donna
Good morning sweet one,
Aaahhh .. soo very sweet, and STILL soo in LoVe with each other !! A wonderful testimony you both are !! LoVe the beautiful pictures, and your EvEn more beautiful NoW, See what getting older CaN do !! hahaha .. Congratulations, and hope you have a wonderful, happy Christmas kinda day !!
Our 25th wedding anniversary is on December 14th !! I can't EveN believe it !! We have a 25 year old, and I STILL think I'm 25 !! hahaha .. AMAZING what just happens !! Where does time go .. yikers !!
Happy day my friend ~hugs ~TeA~
What a lovely post - and I wish my parents had fab photos like that taken before my dad passed on!
Early-Happy-Getting-Engaged-Anniversary to you!
Rebecca you are even more beautiful now...you really are! And what a lovely... love story you have. I am so happy for you. Congratulations on all of these wonderful years you two have shared together.
Linda @ Truthful Tidbits
That is such a sweet post and brings back lovely memories that Don and I share. We all were so much alike back then. Talk about a wonderful life. I think we have been blessed to have one too. Take care.
Wah!! I have tears streaming down my cheeks!! Isn't love wonderful!!! Congratulations to you two!!
Hugs, Laura
WHAT A PRECIOUS PHOTO OF YOU AND STEVE ON THE NIGHT YOU BECAME ENGAGED! HOW VERY YOUNG YOU BOTH LOOK, BUT SO MUCH IN LOVE!! AND LOOK AT THE LATEST PHOTO OF THE SAME YOU TAKEN ALL THIS TIME LATER! HOW VERY YOUNG YOU BOTH STILL LOOK, AND HOW MUCH STILL IN LOVE YOU BOTH ARE!!! YOU ARE BLESSED, SWEET REBECCA, MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW..THANKS FOR SHARING...IT IS ALWAYS FROM YOUR HEART, AND THAT IS WHY WE ALL LOVE YOU SO...
MANY, MANY MORE HAPPY MEMORIES FOR THE TWO OF YOU MAKE,,,,,
LOVE YOU, FRANCY
What sweet, wonderful memories!
What a wonderful picture and story to go along with it. You two look just as beautiful as you did back when he proposed! Merry Christmas and Happy Anniversary!
Hi Rebecca,
I love your "Love Story"!
Gary proposed to me on Christmas Day and I was 19 years old! I love that you kept your favorite sweater that you were wearing..I also kept and still have the dress I was wearing when the day Gary and I meant...
Did Mr. AGPMan have a ring for you?. Gary did not he proposed with out one and it didn't even matter...we went out a few days later and bought the simplest of rings. I still have the sweet delicate wedding band. We have upgraded our rings through the years, but the ring that holds the most love is in the sweet simple wedding band.
How darling the photos are of you two..special memories for you both.
I enjoyed your post very much.
Have a sweet day and hugs,Elizabeth
Oh Rebecca you are one lucky gal!!!
How sweet the love you both still have and it shows in your words and pictures.
You are so blessed :)
Happy Engagement Anniversary!!!
Suzann xoxoxoxo
Awww, how sweet is that? Makes every Christmas doubly wonderful. It always makes me so happy to hear these beautiful neverending love stories.
Seriously we have lived such similar lives! I was 18 when my husband proposed...just shy of 19.
I still have the outfit I wore to leave on my honeymoon. I don't have an engagement photo..we kinda kept it quiet for a while. The college we went to didn't allow engagements during the year. But every weekend...that ring was back on my finger!!
What a sweet picture of you two today!!
Rebecca,
Congratulations to you for many blessed years! Your photos are beautiful and precious. Your saving the sweater is just so...sweet. As sweet and beautiful as you. Thank you for sharing precious memories.
Blessings,
Sonya
Dearest Rebecca,
Congratulations on your anniversary and I have to compliment you on both; for keeping your true LOVE and for putting up that precious sweater!!! Why toss it out? You know such pretty and elegant things actually never go out of style and for you the sentimental value cannot even be replaced by the highest boutique price tag EVER!!!
Love,
Mariette's Back to Basics
What an adorable pic ~ both then and now! Such a precious post, sweet, sweet memories. Ya'll just get better with age!!
Happy Holidays!
Big TX Hugs,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents
I just Love reading real life Love Stories and seeing the momentos that go with them. Thanks for Sharing Rebecca, I needed this today!!
Huggs, Nancy
coeurdalenegifts.blogspot.com
What a lovely post. A beautiful picture of you and your man.
Ya'll make a great couple. Enjoy many more years to come.
Have a blessed day!
How cute are the two of you? Very! You two just exude happiness. Hope this anniversary is the best yet. Blessings to you both. Hope you share many more happy, healthy years together!
Hugs,
Marie
I abSOlutely LOVE your love stories :)
xo
Blesssings for the Happy Couple!!!!
Hugs
Charo
Hi Rebecca, I think the two of you sweethearts are romantics for sure. You both look wonderful and so happy together. Congratulations.
My hubby and I celebrated our 38th anniversary this year. Isn't being in love the best?? I hope you and hubby have many many more years ahead of you, Char
Sweet Friend, it was wonderful having you visit today! I had popped by your place earlier in the day and got all sentimental. I truly enjoyed all your photos. From the first to the last. I too married young and reading your story brought back so many memories. Here's wishing you and your handsome man, many more beautiful years together! Merry Christmas To You Both! With love, Terri
HELLO REBECCA,
ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL TO STILL BE IN LOVE AFTER SO MANY YEARS :) YOU AND YOUR HUBBY MAKE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL COUPLE, YOU CAN SEE THE LOVE YOU SHARE FOR ONE ANOTHER :)
XO~MARI
Rebecca-What a beautiful story. You were a darling couple then AND today. I think you are prettier now than you were even then. God bless you, my dear sweet Rebecca-Diana
What a beautiful post Rebecca!! You amd Mr. AGPman have such a beautiful love and it is so inspiring to me. I LOVE that you kept that sweater too :)
I received your package in the mail and love it so much. I actually cried!! Thank you so much!! Dave and I have enjoyed going through it so much. You are so thoughtful and sweet to think of us!!!! It means the world.
Lots of love and hugs,
Amy
That is so sweet, I have no idea what I wore when I got engaged and even if I did I would never remember what I paid for it! I do know that it would have come from Montgomery Wards though, I loved that store LOL!
Carol
Ahhhhhh......beautiful post and pictures!!!
Congratulations ............you are blessed, and you know that!!!
Dear Rebecca,
Congrats on having 33 years of loving with Mr AGPman. Your memories of that night have to give Christmas Eve a very special meaning to the two of you. No life is without its trials and tears, but it is a special gift to have that one person always at your side and in your heart to hold you through the good and hard times. May God continue to Bless both of you.
Congratulations on your anniversary! It is thrilling to hear of marriages lasting and still loving each other. I'm so happy for you. I enjoyed looking at your pictures! Again, Happy Anniversary!
Dear Rebecca,
Love this post!
HaPpY AnNiVeRsArY!!!
My hubby's birthday is Christmas Eve.
I would imagine that you made your future husband a very happy man when you said YESSSSS!
Congrats to you and God Bless,
d
Hey baby, I remember that weekend so well. I drove 700 miles to get there and got a speeding ticket in the "middle of nowhere Texas" at 2 in the morning. The Judge made me pay cash on the spot before he would let me get going. He asked if I was in a hurry and I said "yes sir I am, I have a diamond ring in the glove box and my baby is waiting for me in Kermit" He just laughed, slammed the gavel down and said, "that will be $50, payable now!". Ugh! Bye bye Christmas bonus. I was too excited to really care and just got back on the road, a little slower. :-)
I loved that sweater, it looked so cute on you and I am so glad you still have it. Anytime you drag it out I just look at it and smile. A great tangible memory.
As for you getting the better end of the marriage deal, well forget that idea! Keep track of that current picture and we will check it out in another 33 years. OK? :-)
Love,
me
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