41 years ago today..........

[Rick Neal]

Thanks for sharing the story it ROCKS. Congratulations.
Rick

[Jim Koepke]

Great story. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary.

Similar to our story, though our anniversary is only going to be the 28th and she had three daughters when we met. We have a son together and he just went in to the Air Force.

jim

[Bill Borchardt]

Great story and congratulations!

When I was 19 my dad told me:
"Son, marry the right girl and you'll be happy the rest of your life. Marry the wrong one, and you'll pay the rest of your life - one way or another."

It sounds like you found the right girl.

BTW: I went through that same Armed Forces Entry Examination Station in Chicago in late 1970 - ended up in the Air Force for 30 years.

Billbo
Smyrna, GA

[Leo Voisine]

Ken,

That is a NICE story.

Some are starting nice lives together today - but those stories are becoming too few and far between.

There IS something to be said for the good old days.

You got about 9 years on me and Diane - but we are workin on it.

[Christopher Pine]

Ken Congratulations! All of your advice is right on as well. My wife and I are headed for 22 this next march! I think I have been blessed more than any man on earth! Sound slike you have too!

Chris

Jon,

I wish Sharon was here to give her side of this....

I'd say treat the relationship like a job...work at it everyday.

Never take the other person for granted.

Treat each other with respect and respect the right of the other person to disagree.

Develop and live within a realistic budget. Our marriage was headed for divorce court until I re-enlisted and got a large variable reenlistment bonus. We have managed to keep out of debt since....we have the normal car payments and mortgage but....not upto our necks in debt. Financial difficulties are a major cause of broken relationships...IMHO.

Within the scope of your budget, spoil the other person.....make them them most important person in your life. If you are lucky, it will be returned in a like manner.

She will tell you some of our happiest moments were nearly starving to death in Brunswick, GA together while I went to a Navy school there. We could, however, afford some gasoline and go to the beaches on St. Simon and Jekyll Islands.....

Don't think I'm being naive....we have argued like most two people will in a relationship....but don't hesitate to say "I'm sorry".....look the person in the eye and say it and mean it!

Tell your spouse regularly just how important they are in your life.

Make the words "I love you" the last words they hear from you...at night when you go to bed....on the phone.....in a letter.....an email..... You don't know...that might be the last words you or they hear or read.....

[Harold Burrell]

Ken,

That was precious. Seriously. Thank you for posting this. Congratulations!





Wow...you really are a nice guy.

I don't care what everybody here says about you...

behind your back...

[Joe Mioux]

Congrats Ken.

[Paul Ryan]

Congrates Ken,

You only here about stories like that in the movies. Hopefully you will have another wonderful 41 years.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Congratulations Ken.

Let me inject a little seriousness here though. 41 years ago today I was safely ensconced in the Marine Corps Combined Action School at China Beach in DaNang. I was fortunate in many ways. First, instead of being in the field with my old infantry regiment (B 1/7 1st MARDIV) and living in a hole and eating C rations, I was in the rear with a hootch roof over my head, 3 meals a day from a mess hall, and among the company of friends. I had spent the night before, Christmas Eve, from 2200 to 0200 on perimeter watch with another Marine in a tower of the old French compound that housed the school. About midnight the Lt Col who was the school commander came up into the tower to wish us a Merry Christmas and give each of us 2 nips of whiskey along with the admonishment not to touch them until we had been relieved. Every Marine got the same present which was paid for out of the colonel's own funds. While I was 12,000 miles from home and in a war zone, I was truly blessed with good fortune and spent a quiet and pretty comfortable holiday. Others were not so lucky.

My point is simple. Take a moment of your time to think of and pray for those men and women currently deployed around the world and who are all too often in harms way. Wish them a quiet, relatively comfortable, and safe holiday. It is because of their sacrifice that we have the ability to enjoy our holiday in our own choice of ways.

To our Marines and other service people in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, Merry Christmas and thank you. We remember.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Well said Dave!

We do remember!

[Jim Becker]

Congratulations, Ken!!!

[Brian Ashton]

Fantastic story Ken


It's one of those things... When you meet the right person why wait. I was a lot more cautious than you though. I waited three weeks before I asked her to marry me.

[Dennis Peacock]

Congrats to you and the LOYL Ken..!!!!!

Now ya just need to go and buy her something for your woodworking shop.

Running, ducking, and hiding - in Conway, Arkansas

[Ken Fitzgerald]

You're safe Dennis. She's in Illinois and she can't sign on to the Creek anyway!

My youngest son might rat on you though.

[keith ouellette]

Merry Christmas to the both of you. Thats a great story. It's nice to hear about a marriage that has survived time. So many don't.

Congratulations and many many more to come over the years.