adoptedwriter

 Our 45th high school class reunion is coming up in a month. (That sounds like such an old people's number, doesn't it?) My husband and I were runners-up for being the "Class Couple". (The football star and his cheerleader honey got 1st place; go figure.) However, the Hub and I are the only pair who has stayed together all this time. The other couple has never been to one class reunion either together or with other partners. They must've gone to "Whatever Happened to So-and-So Land". Technically, the Hub and I have been together for 46 years as a couple and will have our 40th wedding anniversary also in October. The reunion often feels like we're attending a built-in anniversary party, since it always hits in the fall.

Together the Hub and I, in spite of all of our differences, have weathered a lot but definitely have more wins than losses among our stats. While neither of us have earned advanced degrees nor been graced with grandiose awards for our glorious professional achievements, we've had, and continue to have, successful careers. He works diligently in software engineering, and I am in education. We love our work, (most of the time).

Neither of us has affiliations or closeness with celebrity-status people, but we have excellent relationships with our friends and family members, (aside from our respective brothers, but that's another story for another day). The thing is, we carved our own way in the world. Nobody got us "in". We know that getting along at home or in the office/ classroom takes hard work some days plus lots of time. Neither of us is afraid of hard work, and we are happy to share some time.

We are not mega-rich (financially), but our bills are paid. Everything we've acquired has come from perseverance and integrity. We probably deserve more, but why would we want it? We are happy with where we live, what we drive and who we are.

When crises have slapped us hard, like health issues, job losses, kid problems, our parents' struggles, we pool our respective skill sets and make plans.Then we make Plan Bs because, ...well,... life. He can solve conundrums with his technology and power tools. I grab the first aid box or use my communication superpowers to talk you down, talk you up, talk you through, (or give you a talking-to if necessary).

It feels like we're always either kicking ass and taking names, getting $h!t done or on watch duty for the next blob of blazing BS that needs a beating, but that's okay. It's called married life. It's what we do, and I couldn't imagine all that he and I have lived through and accomplished with any other human being. We have two amazing kids, three beautiful grandkids and four cuddly, spoiled rotten kitties, (who refuse to be eaten!) 

So on October 11th, when Hub and I walk into that 45th class reunion, we are going to hold our heads high, have a blast partying with old schoolmates from decades ago, laugh, eat, drink and be merry, as the saying goes. No bragging necessary.
This is who we are.
This is how we live.
I am grateful every day.