Today is Mark’s and my 33rd DATING anniversary.  July 3, 1980…

Yes, we intentionally met up at a dance in Kosciusko after riding around town with his friend Robert the night before.  I took his truck keys from him as a joke while dancing with him… and no, we were not in his truck making out if that is what you’re thinking.  I was a good girl.  I just admired his key chain and the pocket watch he was carrying.  I thanked him for his truck, as I slipped his keys into my back pocket.  I remember what we were both wearing… and that he thought it was cool to drink Schlitz beer at the time.  LOL!

I realized about the keys when I got home and dressed for bed and HAD A HEART ATTACK!!!  No cell phones back then, I didn’t know what to do… So, I sat in the front yard and cried.  He had to drive all the way back to Karnes City to get his truck keys with his friend Brian.  A 20 min. drive just one way!  I felt so embarrassed and just knew he would be convinced I was too young for him.  (We were both going into our Freshman years — me in high school, him at Texas A&M.)  Surprisingly, he wasn’t mad at all when he showed up at my parent’s house at 2:00 a.m. just to drive back to Kosciusko and get his truck —- a long, late night for him.    He had a good excuse to cut things off right there, but he came back over the next day or rather 6 hours later in the afternoon and the rest is history…

We’ve had our ups and downs through the years.  I like to say now that we are Empty Nesters and having our 2nd childhood without parental supervision, that I’m truly so glad I didn’t kill him when I had the chance earlier in our marriage.   Life with him is pretty darn good and usually never a dull moment.  🙂