Sharleen N. Stuart Photography: Project 10: Nostalgia

I was not sure what I was going to do for this topic. Nostalgia is hard for me. My parents have both passed away. Richards dad has as well. We live far away from any family. The kids are out of home. I started with one theme and switched based on a conversation this evening.

There are so many good memories. Today was one of those days to look back and remember.

29 years ago I met the one person I believed would be the man I would want to spend the rest of my life with. He was fun, he was outgoing, energetic. He made me feel special. He came into my life very unexpectedly, and he made every effort to stay. Just weeks after we met, he told his sister that he had found the woman he was going to marry.

We knew this was what we wanted. Our foundations were both the same. We both had a strong faith. We both had a dream. We knew that we could stand against all things if we stood strong in our faith, and united as a family. A good reminder for us was the old family bible that Richard's grandmother had passed on to us.

And so we agreed that we were going to open the doors to a new and exciting future. We had no idea what it would bring but we were ready to forge our relationship and move on forward.

We took the plunge. Today is our 28th anniversary, and today I had time to remember and smile. The hyperventilating, the nervous giggle, the fear that I may trip over my clumsy feet walking down the isle. Seeing the look on my father's face and the tears in his eyes. Sitting here now, I can see his face and it brings tears to my eyes. My dad died many years ago and yet I can see his smile, the quiver on his lips, the sheen in his eyes and the shake of his hand. He was giving away his baby girl. I can see my mother as I walk to the front, the smile on her face. She beamed brightly. She was so excited. Finally her baby girl was getting married.

And then I saw Richard. I think about him today. We were so young. So excited, So happy. This was the beginning of a new adventure.

Life has not always been easy. We had a baby die during pregnancy. We had a child that had a lot of medical challenges that lasted a number of years. We had the day to day ups and down. But we stayed strong. We traveled on our own, we have traveled with kids. Richard has often taken me out of my comfort zone. So we have slept in a cave, camped on a plot of land where the only place to wash was in a salt water river, never thinking about crocodiles. I was cajoled into scuba diving. Sucked in all the air when I saw my first shark. Even got paid to go on a roller coaster.

Time has gone quickly, the babies are now the age we where when we got married. They are ready to spread their wings. As I looked to develop a memory of that day and to celebrate 28 years of marriage, I thought of the first song that was sung at our wedding, and I am reminded that it is all about love. Each one of us is so different. We have our own way of doing things. Neither of us is perfect, but there is a common denominator, that when the tides turn against you, and the days seem dark, and you don't always know which way to turn, I remember "There is love". I remember our foundations, the strength of my faith, and the words of guidance that we were given from our parents. Two are stronger than one, but a cord of three strands will be the strongest of all.

Today was a simple day, Richard worked in the garden, I supervised. We went to the flower nursery together to buy a palm. I added a few more things into the bin. He did not complain. He bought grass squares. I helped him move them to where he needed to lay them. I enjoyed working alongside him today. I really liked supervising though :)

We could have gone out to dinner, but after all the work he put into today, I knew he was tired. So we chilled. Relaxed on the patio, barbecued dinner, had a glass of wine, and enjoyed each other. Best part of the evening was watching the sun set on the day.

Just like the sunset, there is the ever changing facets of life. There are the good days, the fun days, the stressful days. There are the jobs you just love and those that you wish you had never ventured into. Their are the homes that you have created and loved as you have made every little nook and cranny just a little part of who you are. There is family who are always there for you, no matter what. There is friends who have come alongside you and walked a while with you. All these events have made up our 28 years of marriage.

As the sun sets on today, and we see another year pass, I look back and think that on that day 28 years ago, I put my hand in his and agreed to a new adventure. 28 years down the road, I can only say that I am happy to put my hands back in his and carry on.