Joyce and I love each other, though perhaps in understandably different ways that we loved our previous spouses.

Joyce loved her husband Fred, and she has shared with me a number of stories about their lives together. Together we celebrate his date of birth, morn his date of death, and honor the date of their wedding.

It is the same with my stories about Bonnie and her milestones dates. With that being said, I did have some thoughts on this anniversary day that I shared with Robert; and I am further sharing them here.

Fifty three years ago Bonnie and I set off on what turned out to be an incredible journey. At the time we had no idea where we would go or what that journey would lead us to. We just knew that whatever it was, we wanted to do it together.

We were both pretty immature, me especially. And young; Bonnie got carded at our honeymoon hotel in Chicago when we ordered Champagne as part of our breakfast and the waitress would not serve Bonnie because she was under age. We tipped 69 cents. Yes, there was a message there.

Joyce grew up with family and friends in the Tampa area, and they all stay in close touch. Our family moved according to the needs of the Army and our children: Karen, Sandra, Anne and Robert; had to make new friends everywhere, but this resulted in few of the lifelong friends that I see Joyce having.