On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, twenty-five years ago today on a windy, but 60 degree day, my parents walked me down the aisle.  Father Ted Miller wore his sandals -- as we asked him to do, and he married Shayne and I in St. Stephen's Catholic Church.  We selected the Saturday after Thanksgiving because it was also when my sister, parents and grandparents had all gotten married.  

How blessed we were to be in a quaint little church, packed with friends, family and even my sweet elementary students.  At 24, I didn't fully understand the tremendous ups and downs we would experience over the next 25 years.  (Our lowest low being the cancer diagnosis and ultimate death of our daughter of which we have yet to recover.  And working so hard, making sacrifices along the way, allowed us to experience the highs of success in our professional lives.)  Through it all, we know God loves us and God is good!  

I will now take it upon myself to give two tips to those getting married today:

1.)  Cherish, adore and love each other.  Accept and deeply love your spouse as they are.  Embrace and celebrate each other, including what you may consider imperfections.  We all have them.

2.)  Marriage is a compromise.  For a strong marriage, keep it first and above all else in your decision making.  What may be best for you, may not be best for your marriage.  Give and take; have an open-mind and a caring heart.

Without a doubt, the biggest gift in my life has been my marriage to the most awesome and fabulous person I know, Shayne Thomas!  This marriage brought us the gifts of two precious children, Christi & Shayla!  Over this past year, we have celebrated our anniversary in some unique and special ways.  Today will be no different.  I will share later.